CABINET OFFICE

E-Government

Bob Blizzard: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what progress has been made with the development of e-government.

Douglas Alexander: The Government are committed to a radical reform of public services and e-government is a powerful catalyst for bringing about the transformation necessary to deliver the Government's vision. In recognition of this commitment, we are investing £6 billion over the next three years in e-government.

Disabled People (Civil Service)

Anne Begg: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what progress has been made in improving the recruitment of disabled people into the civil service.

Douglas Alexander: The Government are committed to employing disabled people. As at April 2002 disabled staff accounted for 3.6 per cent. of the civil service, up from 2.8 per cent. in 1995. A service wide target has been set at 3.0 per cent. disabled people in the senior civil service by 2004–05. In April 2002 the percentage of disabled staff in the senior civil service was 1.7 per cent., up from 1.5 per cent. in 1998.

Regulatory Reform

Mark Prisk: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what progress his Department is making in implementing the Regulatory Reform Action Plan.

Douglas Alexander: The Regulatory Reform Action Plan (RRAP) contains 268 reform proposals that the Government have committed itself to delivering over the next three years. So far, 27 per cent. of the items it contains have been completed.

Civil Contingency Bill

Oliver Letwin: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office when he plans to bring forward a Civil Contingency Bill.

Douglas Alexander: Work is progressing well on preparing new civil contingencies legislation. Proposals will be published this Parliamentary Session. New legislation will be introduced as soon as parliamentary time allows.

Computer Misuse

Steve Webb: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many cases of computer misuse there were in his Department in each of the last five years, broken down by each category of misuse; and how many of those cases resulted in disciplinary action.

Douglas Alexander: There were a total of 35 cases of computer misuse in the Cabinet Office during the five years 1998–2002, broken down as follows. The numbers of those resulting in disciplinary action are shown in parentheses.
	
		
			  Inappropriate use of internet Using another's password Totals 
		
		
			 1998 2(2) 2 (2) 4 (4) 
			 1999 3 (3) 0 3 (3) 
			 2000 19 (12) 0 19 (12) 
			 2001 8 (7) 0 8 (7) 
			 2002 1 (1) 0 1 (1) 
			 Total 33 (25) 2 (2) 35 (27)

Congestion Charge

Peter Viggers: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office whether individual passengers of the Government Car and Despatch Agency will reimburse the agency for congestion charges it incurs.

Douglas Alexander: The responsibility for the provision of ministerial cars and drivers has been delegated under the terms of the Framework Document to the Government Car Despatch Agency. I have asked its Chief Executive Mr. Nick Matheson to write to the hon. Member. Copies of his letter will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Industrial Action/Illness

Andrew George: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many working days have been lost in the Cabinet Office owing to (a) industrial action and (b) illness in each year since 1997.

Douglas Alexander: Working days lost through industrial action are recorded as unauthorised absence for which pay is stopped. The Cabinet Office (including agencies) keeps records of unpaid absence generally but they also include authorised absence. Separating the records could be achieved only at disproportionate costs.
	Sick absence figures for Government Departments are published annually in the report "Analysis of Sickness Absence in the Civil Service". The most recent report for calendar year 2001 was announced by Ministerial Statement 19 December 2002. Copies are available in the Libraries of the House. Figures for 2002 will be announced later this year.
	Cabinet Office figures (including its agencies and non-departmental public bodies) are:
	
		
			  Days per staff year 
		
		
			 1997 6.6  
			 1998 7.3 
			 1999 6.8 
			 2000 4.6 
			 2001 5.7

Public Appointments

Bill Tynan: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what progress is being made in providing training for people considering making an application for public appointments.

Douglas Alexander: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Wirral, South (Mr. Chapman) earlier today, Official Report, column 716.

TRANSPORT

Aviation Inquiry

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on submissions to his inquiry into aviation.

Alistair Darling: The Department has so far received over 70,000 responses to the airport consultation from a wide range of interest groups and individuals.
	I will shortly publish a revised south-east consultation paper which will include runway options for Gatwick airport.
	The consultation will remain open for four months from the date of publication.

Aviation Inquiry

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many responses his Department has received to the "Future of Air Transport" consultation document.

John Spellar: The Department has so far received over 70,000 responses to the airport consultation from a wide range of interest groups and individuals. We will shortly publish a revised south-east consultation paper, which will include runway options for Gatwick airport. The consultation will remain open for four months from this date.

M6

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make a statement on the proposed widening of the M6 motorway.

John Spellar: I wrote to the North West Regional Assembly on the 10 December 2002 giving the Secretary of State's response to the 'West Midlands to North West Multi Modal Study' (MIDMAN). The study has clearly demonstrated that some road widening is a necessary component of a strategy aimed at tackling congestion on the M6 motorway. Government therefore support the study recommendation to widen the motorway from dual 3 to dual 4 lanes between Junctions lla and 19. The Highways Agency has been instructed to progress this work.

Rail Services (Scotland)

Iain Luke: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make a statement on investment in the east coast main line rail services north of Edinburgh.

John Spellar: Last year the Strategic Rail Authority announced £100 million of investment for the east coast main line under a deal to extend the GNER franchise by two years. The Authority is considering how to deliver improvements to the east coast main line in order to secure greater capacity and increased line speeds.

Transport Infrastructure

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what priority he gives to economic regeneration when planning new transport infrastructure.

David Jamieson: My Department's method for appraising transport schemes looks at a wide range of costs and benefits including the reduction of travel times, safety, accessibility and impacts on the environment, as well as a scheme's contribution to regeneration. We take decisions on particular schemes in the light of all of these factors.

Cycling

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on departmental funding for local cycling projects.

David Jamieson: The Minister for Transport announced on 9 January 2003 the second round of our Cycling Projects Fund. This provides a further £1 million of funding for local, practical projects aiming to deliver an increase in cycling. The fund builds on the more than £2 million that was made available in 2002 to support 138 cycling projects.

Road Traffic

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his policy is on road traffic reduction.

David Jamieson: The Government's position has consistently been that we seek to reduce the adverse impacts of road traffic, rather than the level of traffic per se.

Central Railway

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to make a decision on Central Railway's application for a hybrid Bill.

John Spellar: We are considering carefully Central Railway's proposals and will respond to Central Railway in due course.

Wales Railway Franchise

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the specifications set out in the Wales railway franchise.

David Jamieson: The franchise will include all local and regional passenger services within Wales, and some cross-border services. Its terms will reflect the outcome of negotiations with bidders, among other things.

Strategic Rail Authority

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had with the Strategic Rail Authority about improving local rail services.

John Spellar: I, and other departmental Ministers, meet the Chair and Chief Executive of the Strategic Rail Authority on a regular basis; and discuss a range of issues.

Air Travel Trust Fund

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he will introduce legislation to increase the air travel trust fund.

David Jamieson: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 20 January 2003 Official Report, column 38W.

Bus Services (Shropshire)

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many (a) new, (b) improved and (c) withdrawn bus services there were in (i) Shrewsbury and Atcham and (ii) Shropshire in each year since 1997.

David Jamieson: My Department does not collect this information. However, I am informed by Shropshire County Council that since 1998 the total number of commercial bus journeys in the county withdrawn by operators is 1,936. In the same period the county council has provided subsidy for 2,500 new additional bus journeys some of which replaced those commercial ones that have been withdrawn.
	The council does not have available separate information about services in Shrewsbury and Atcham.

Concessionary Travel (Pensioners)

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take steps to introduce free off-peak travel for pensioners on public transport.

David Jamieson: I refer my hon. Friend to my answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Stroud (Mr. Drew) on 30 October 2002, Official Report, column 863W.

Cross-Solent Fares

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received since 1977, other than from hon. Members, that the Government should subsidise cross-solent fares.

David Jamieson: Since 1997, 15 representations from members of the public have been received on this matter.

Cycling (Protective Equipment)

Jeffrey M Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to introduce legislation to compel cyclists to wear personal protective equipment; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: We have no current plans to make the wearing of personal protective equipment by cyclists compulsory. The Highway Code advises cyclists to wear clothing which will make them visible and which is appropriate for cycling. It also advises them to wear helmets. We have engaged TRL to monitor wearing rates. The latest study shows that in 1999 the overall wearing rate was 22 per cent. on major built up roads. That is not a high enough level of public acceptance to introduce compulsory wearing. There would be enforcement difficulties and it could have adverse effects on the levels of cycling. However, we will continue to monitor wearing rates and will review the option of compulsory wearing from time to time.

External Consultants

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the benefit to (a) his Department, (b) taxpayers and (c) road users of the value of each external consultant used by his Department since its inception.

David Jamieson: Guidance on the use of consultants by my Department requires that each consultancy project should have a sound business case which sets out the deliverables and benefits expected to accrue . Details of individual consultancies and supporting business cases are not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Freight (Shipping)

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much freight was carried by water in and around the UK in (a) May 1992, (b) May 1997 and (c) September 2002 by (i) all flagged ships and (ii) UK flagged ships; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: The available information relates to UK coastal shipping. The statistics are compiled on an annual basis only. Coastal freight traffic carried (i) in all flagged ships and (ii) in UK flagged ships for years 1991, 1996 and 2001 (the latest available year), in terms of goods lifted (tonnage) and goods moved (tonne-kilometres), were as follows:
	
		
			  Goods lifted (million tonnes) Goods moved (billion tonne-kilometres)  
			 Year All flagged ships UK flagged ships All flagged ships UK flagged ships 
		
		
			 1991 63.10 22.44 40.69 9.84 
			 1996 70.87 17.30 45.14 7.27 
			 2001 58.53 7.74 34.12 2.96

Minimum Wage

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will estimate the impact of increasing the minimum wage (a) in line with average earnings, (b) to £4.17 per hour, (c) to £4.87 per hour, (d) to £5.00 per hour and (e) to £5.30 per hour, on the cost of salaries of departmental employees (i) in total and (ii) for each nation of the United Kingdom in the next financial year.

David Jamieson: Increasing the minimum wage in the manner described would have no impact on the cost of salaries for employees in my Department.

Ports (Security Breaches)

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many official breaches of security have taken place at UK ports in each year since 1997, broken down by (a) region, (b) port and (c) type of breach.

David Jamieson: Since 1997 my Department has recorded a total of 20 breaches of port security, ie instances where individuals have gained unauthorised access to Restricted Zones at ports. It is not appropriate to give a detailed breakdown of either the specific port or region where these breaches took place for obvious reasons.

Ports (Security Breaches)

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what (a) court actions and other prosecutions have taken place and (b) fines or other actions have been imposed, against (i) UK ports and (ii) other marine organisations and activities in response to breaches of security which have taken place at UK ports in each year since 1997; and what the nature of the breaches were in each case.

David Jamieson: No court actions and/or other prosecutions have taken place. From 1 January 1997 until 31 December 2002 a total of seven Enforcement Notices (ENs) have been served on UK harbour authorities and harbour operators. The ENs were served under the provisions of the Aviation and Maritime Security Act 1990 and related to failings to meet the requirements of that Act. Details are as follows:
	
		
			 Year Number of ENs Failings 
		
		
			 1997 1 Restricted Zone(RZ) access control 
			 1998 0  
			 1999 0  
			 2000 1 RZ access control 
			 2001 4 Pass display (2); lack of suitably trained search staff; RZ access control 
			 2002 1 RZ access control

Public Transport (Safety)

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received about new measures to protect the safety of people using public transport, with particular reference to women.

David Jamieson: We receive representations from a number of different organisations, including some regarding personal safety on public transport. For example, last year we received a representation by the Rail Safety Task Force of Soroptomist International of south east England regarding improving safety in rail travel.

Redhill Aerodrome

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the occasions on which Ministers in his Department have met representatives of Redhill Aerodrome Ventures Ltd. since 7 June 2001.

David Jamieson: Since 7 June 2001, no meetings have been held between Ministers in my Department and representatives of Redhill Aerodrome Ventures Ld.

Road Accidents

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment has been made by his Department of the number of (a) accidents associated with heavy commercial vehicles in each year since 1997 and (b) the associated fatalities.

David Jamieson: The number of accidents involving at least one HGV in each year since 1997, and the associated fatalities from those accidents are shown in the table:
	
		Accidents involving at least one HGV: GB 1997–2001 -- Accidents/fatalities
		
			  HGV accidents Fatalities(1)  
		
		
			 1997 13,132 535 
			 1998 13,278 576 
			 1999 13,951 620 
			 2000 13,894 560 
			 2001 13,631 575 
		
	
	(1) Total number of fatalities in accidents involving at least on HGV.

Road Accidents

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many (a) pedestrians and (b) cyclists were (i) killed, (ii) seriously injured and (iii) slightly injured in road accidents in each year since 1997; and how many were under the age of 18 years in each category.

David Jamieson: The number of pedestrians and cyclists of all ages, and those aged under 18 that were killed or injured in each year since 1997, are shown in the following tables:
	
		Pedestrian and pedal cycle casualty data: GB 1997–2001 -- Casualties
		
			 Road user type/severity 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 
		
		
			 All ages  
			 Pedestrians  
			  
			 Killed 973 906 870 857 826 
			 Serious 10,053 9,575 8,955 8,641 8,238 
			 Slight 34,575 34,405 33,063 32,535 31,513 
			 All 45,601 44,886 42,888 42,033 40,577 
			   
			 Pedal cycle  
			 Killed 183 158 172 127 138 
			 Serious 3,409 3,154 3,004 2,643 2,540 
			 Slight 21,044 19,611 19,664 17,842 16,436 
			 All 24,636 22,923 22,840 20,612 19,114 
			   
			  Casualties under 18   
			 Pedestrians  
			 Killed 165 120 128 120 130 
			 Serious 4,228 3,988 3,682 3,465 3,393 
			 Slight 16,004 15,729 14,846 14,375 14,097 
			 All 20,397 19,837 18,656 17,960 17,620 
			   
			 Pedal cycle  
			 Killed 41 35 44 34 31 
			 Serious 1,199 1,072 1,069 850 773 
			 Slight 8,241 7,247 7,446 6,425 5,692 
			 All 9,481 8,534 8,559 7,309 6,496

Tolls

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his estimate is of the annual cost to his Department of reimbursing VAT to private operators of tolls on the basis being consulted upon at present.

David Jamieson: holding answer 27 January 2003
	Current estimates are that the annual reimbursement will range from about £250,000 to £350,000.

Tolls

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what arrangements will be in place on 1 February to ensure that privately operated tolls do not increase by reason of the incidence of a VAT liability.

David Jamieson: holding answer 27 January 2003
	My Department is currently consulting with owners of privately operated statutory tolled undertakings on a reimbursement scheme, which will allow qualifying operators to recover VAT included in tolls. The scheme will be in place before any payment under it will need to be made.
	The concession agreement at the Severn crossings has been renegotiated to eliminate the need to increase tolls because of the introduction of VAT.

Traffic Accidents (Driver Liability)

Jeffrey M Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to introduce legislation on driver liability in road traffic accidents; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: Road traffic law in both Great Britain and Northern Ireland provides for penalties for bad driving behaviour whether or not the driver is involved in an accident.
	The culpability of a motorist charged with a road traffic offence, such as dangerous or careless driving, is a matter for a court to decide.

Traffic Safety Cameras

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish the terms of reference for the "Cost Recovery System for Traffic Safety Cameras" study; on what dates (a) the study and (b) its associated pilots were completed; and if he will publish the information gathered by the study.

David Jamieson: A trial was set up to test the new funding mechanism for safety cameras. The key tests were to reduce speeding and casualties, to encourage general public acceptance of the road safety benefits, and to ensure satisfactory working of the funding and partnership arrangements. The trial ran from 1 April 2000 until 31 March 2002 in eight pilot areas. These have been monitored and an independently produced research report of the findings is expected to be published shortly.

Wales-England Rugby Match (Rail Services)

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has requested a copy of the independent safety report commissioned by Wales and the West Trains on the provision of rail services after the Wales v. England Six Nations rugby match at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff; and if he will place a copy in the Library.

David Jamieson: The SRA has undertaken detailed discussions with the train operator about transport arrangements for this match. However, the safety report owned by Wales and Borders Trains is an internal document. Neither my Department nor the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) has seen it.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking to manage amnesic shellfish poisoning in scallops; and what recent discussions she has had and what representations she has received on management of amnesic shellfish poisoning in scallops.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 20 January 2003
	I have been asked to reply.
	European Union legislation lays down the health conditions for harvesting and placing on the market of live bivalve molluscs and requires monitoring for biotoxins, including amnesic shellfish poisoning (ASP). If statutory monitoring reveals that the maximum permissible ASP toxin level in the whole animal has been exceeded, the production or relaying area concerned must be closed until the situation has returned to normal. The Food Standards Agency, the United Kingdom competent authority responsible for shellfish issues, has received a number of representations on the management of ASP in scallops. They are currently considering the adoption of an optional derogation in EU law that would provide for a tiered approach to the testing of ASP toxins.

Animal Welfare

Gwyn Prosser: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  how many live sheep were exported from Dover to continental Europe on 10 January 2003 on the Alda K; when and where health certification was carried out in respect of the sheep; how many of the sheep were rejected as unfit for the intended journey (a) during inspection for health certification purposes and (b) at Dover docks, and to where those sheep were taken; and what the address was of the final destination given on the route plan for each of the consignments;
	(2)  how many live sheep were exported from Dover to continental Europe on (a) 10 January and (b) 14 January on the Omega Livestock; when and where health certification was carried out in respect of the sheep; how many of the sheep were rejected as unfit for the intended journey (i) during inspection for health certification purposes and (ii) at Dover docks, and to where those sheep were taken; and what the address was of the final destination given on the route plan for each of the consignments.

Elliot Morley: The information requested is as follows:
	
		
			 Sailing date Total animals certified Where consignments were certified Animals rejected at certification Animals rejected at Dover docks Destination 
		
		
			 10 January (Alda K) 849 England 0 0 Germany 
			 10 January (Omega Express) 2,174 England 15 0 France 
			 14 January (Omega Express) 2,766 England and Wales 13 0 France 
		
	
	The sheep for the consignments listed were certified within 48 hours prior to export. These consignments were fattening animals transported to holdings, except for the Alda K sailing on 10 January 2003 where they were slaughter animals which went to an approved slaughterhouse. The animals which were rejected at certification remained in Great Britain.
	These figures relate to the numbers of sheep certified for export and are subject to revision and change.

Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she intends to reply to the letter to her Department dated 29 November from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Ms Jean Kellock.

Alun Michael: My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Lord Whitty, responded on 27 January.

Correspondence

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she expects to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Totnes concerning Mr. E. Baker of Kingsbridge, South Devon dated 7 December 2002, concerning his IACS claim.

Alun Michael: I replied on 26 January.

Departmental Budget

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her total departmental budget was for each year of its existence; what the projected budget is for 2002–03; and how much within each year has been allocated to (a) Rural Affairs, (b) Agriculture, (c) Environmental Protection and (d) International Environmental Matters.

Alun Michael: The budget figures for each year are as follows:
	
		£ million 
		
			  2001–02 2002–03 
		
		
			 Total Defra 2,959 2,459 
			 Rural affairs 509 516 
			 Agriculture 1,424 828 
			 Environmental Protection 756 841 
			 International Environmental Matters 30 29 
		
	
	The amounts in the table are budgets scored within departmental expenditure limits. The figures for Rural Affairs, Agriculture, Environmental Protection and International Environmental Matters are an estimated split of direct resources, excluding overheads for central services.

Equine Passports

David Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which organisations she has licensed to issue equine passports; and if she will make a statement.

Alun Michael: There are presently 56 equine organisations and associations that have been authorised to issue horse passports in Great Britain.
	These passport issuing organisations are either:
	Equine studbook societies who deal with a particular breed. These have been recognised under Commission Decision 92/353/EC. This legislation lays down the criteria for the approval or recognition of organisations and associations which maintain or establish studbooks for registered equidae.
	International equine organisations that manage horses for competition or racing who have been registered under article 4 of the Horse Passports Order 1997.
	List of Organisations and Associations that have been authorised in GB to issue Horse Passports (ie equine studbook societies that have been recognised under commission decision 92/353 EC and international organisations that manage horses for competition or racing:
	American Quarter Horse Association UK
	Anglo-European Studbook Ltd.
	Appaloosa Horse Club (ApHc) UK Ltd.
	Arab Horse Society
	British Hanoverian Horse Society
	British Horse Foundation/British Horse Database
	British Miniature Horse Society
	British Palomino Society
	British Percheron Horse Society
	British Skewbald & Piebald Association
	British Spotted Pony Society
	British Warm-Blood Society and British Sports Horse Registry
	The Caspian Horse Society
	The Caspian Horse Breed Society (UK)
	Cleveland Bay Horse
	Coloured Horse and Pony Society (UK)
	Dales Pony Society
	Dartmoor Pony Society
	Donkey Breed Society
	English Connemara Pony Society
	Eriskay Pony Society
	Eriskay Pony (Mother Society)—Comann Each nan Eilean Ltd.
	Exmoor Pony Society
	Fell Pony Society
	Fjord Horse National Study-book Association of Great Britain
	Fjord Horse Registry of Scotland and Fjord Horse UK
	Friesian Horse Association of Great Britain and Ireland Ltd.
	Hackney Horse Society
	Highland Pony Society
	Icelandic Horse Society of Great Britain
	International Miniature Horse and Pony Society
	The Irish Draught Horse Society (GB)
	The Lusitano Breed Society (Great Britain)
	Lippizaner National Studbook Association of Great Britain
	National Pony Society
	New Forest Pony Breeding & Cattle Society
	Scottish Icelandic Horse Association
	Shetland Policy Stud-Book Society
	Shire Horse Society
	The Scottish Sports Horse
	Sport Horse Breeding of Great Britain
	The Sports Pony Studbook Society
	The Spotted Horse and Pony Society
	The Standard and Trotting Horse Association of Great Britain and Ireland
	Suffolk Horse Society
	Trakehner Breeders Fraternity
	Weatherbys
	Welsh Pony & Cob Society
	International organisations that manage horses for competition or racing:
	The British Driving Society
	British Harness Racing Club
	British Equestrian Federation
	Hurlingham Polo Association
	The Spotted Pony Breed Society (Great Britain)
	British Appaloosa Society
	British Horse Society

Equine Passports

David Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what animal passports other than equine ones are issued that provide information about drugs administered to the animal concerned.

Alun Michael: Horses are the only animals that currently require a record to be made of medicines administered as required by Commission Decision 2000/68/EC, which requires all horses to be accompanied by a passport.

Farm Census

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to amend the law to allow the Environment Agency access to farm census information and IACs returns.

Margaret Beckett: Information can already be released to the Environment Agency in accordance with the provisions of the Agricultural Statistics Act 1979 and the Data Protection Act 1998 but subject to the safeguards provided for in that legislation. Officials are in discussion with the Environment Agency about information requirements and how they may be met.

Flood Defences

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what new funding mechanisms have been introduced for flood defences; and how much she estimates they will raise in (a) 2004–05 and (b) 2005–06.

Elliot Morley: No new funding mechanisms have yet been introduced. The Government are currently considering the options. The Spending Review figures announced last year for 2005–06 include an estimate of what might be raised from a new mechanism, such as a charge on development on the floodplain. This was set at £20 million out of an increase in provision for flood and coastal defence of £150 million for that year. No such amount was assumed for 2004–05.

Flooding

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the Environment Agency's report into flooding in the Marlow and Medmenham area will be completed; and whether it will be published in full.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 27 January 2003
	I understand that the Environment Agency have already started to compile and analyse data and information relating to the flooding that occurred throughout the Thames catchment during January 2003. As with previous floods there will be an analysis of what happened and the agency will make available to the public the lessons learnt from this information.

Flooding

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans the Environment Agency has to meet residents in the Marlow and Medmenham area during its inquiry into recent flooding in the area.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 27 January 2003
	The Environment Agency held a "open surgery" on 20 January from 9.00 am to 9.00 pm at Shepperton. It invited all those residents from Chertsey who had been flooded and advertised the event in local newspapers and over 500 people attended. Staff spoke to individuals about the cause of the flooding and the agency's plans for managing flood risk.
	A further surgery was held on 23 January at Egham, to which residents flooded from the River Thames downstream of Windsor were invited, and a surgery has been arranged for 30 January for residents living between Hurley and Maidenhead.

Flooding

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what guidance she has issued to the Environment Agency concerning priorities for capital projects to tackle flooding.

Elliot Morley: In order to be eligible for DEFRA grant aid a capital flood defence project must satisfy fundamental economic, technical and environmental criteria and achieve an appropriate priority score based (from April 2003) on a combination of three elements—(i) benefits as compared to cost, (ii) the number of people protected as measured by the number of households at risk, their vulnerability and the extent to which adequate advance warning of flooding can be given, and (iii) environmental protection and enhancement.
	In addition to guidance on the above priority scoring system, DEFRA publishes detailed guidance on aspects of project appraisal (strategic planning, economic, environmental, approaches to risk). The documents are intended to assist knowledgeable practitioners; they are not comprehensive manuals or textbooks and they do not define Government policy. However, compliance with this guidance is likely to produce projects that are acceptable for central Government support.
	The above are published on the DEFRA website and the Department also provides the Environment Agency with a Memorandum setting out the conditions for grant and which has further information on the Government's priorities for flood defence projects.

Funding Commitments

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  how many funding commitments were launched by her Department and its predecessors in (a) 1997, (b) 1998, (c) 1999, (d) 2000, (e) 2001, (f) 2002 and (g) 2003; which (i) require bidding and (ii) are linked to a set funding formula; and what the total amount available was for each commitment;
	(2)  how many funding commitments were ended by her Department and its predecessors in each year since 1997.

Alun Michael: This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Illegal Meat Imports

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the cost has been of her Department's television advertising campaign to discourage illegal meat imports; how many advertisements have been or will be broadcast, and at what times of the day; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Beckett: The television campaign uses two public service fillers rather than paid advertisements. These fillers have been sent to broadcasters to be used in donated airtime. The cost of making and marketing the two fillers was £156,176. To 31 December, the Central Office of Information had been notified of 119 transmissions—71 at night (00:00–05:59), 24 in the afternoon (12:00–17:19) and 24 at breakfast time (06:00–09:25). However, many stations issue transmission logs quarterly, so the first full transmissions report is not due until February.

Internal Drainage Boards

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which Government Ministers are members of internal drainage boards.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 20 January 2003
	Internal drainage boards are independent bodies. This information is not held centrally. We are not aware of any Government Minister who is a member of an IDB.

Meat Hygiene

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her policy is on the European Commission's proposal to require the full recovery of meat hygiene inspection charges from abattoirs and to make all abattoirs enforce new measures for the disposal of blood.

Margaret Beckett: The Commission has not yet made proposals on charges to abattoirs for health inspections but we have made plain our preference for the existing structure and levels of meat hygiene charges. With respect to disposal of blood, officials are working with industry representatives to achieve satisfactory outcomes both in terms of regulatory requirements and the ability of industry to change existing practices at minimum cost and disruption.

Municipal Waste

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the amount of municipal waste generated in the United Kingdom, using the definition of municipal waste in Article 2(b) of the Landfill Directive (99/31/EC).

Margaret Beckett: It is estimated that around 34 million tonnes of municipal waste were generated in the United Kingdom in 2000–01 (using the definition in Article 2(b) of the Landfill Directive).

Organophosphates

Paul Tyler: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will convene a meeting of scientists, manufacturers, her advisers and the All Party Organophosphate Parliamentary Group to assess progress in identifying past problems with organophosphate products and appropriate policies for their future use.

Elliot Morley: Following the request at the recent meeting of the Parliamentary All Party Group on OPs, I have asked my officials to draw up proposals for a meeting of stakeholders with an interest in the authorisation and use of OPs in the UK. I will consider these proposals when they are available.

River Management

Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the lines of accountability are with regard to the implementation of the European Water Framework Directive in the event of a river basin management plan crossing borders between river basins.

Elliot Morley: It is proposed that the Environment Agency will be under a duty to prepare a draft river basin management plan for each river basin district in consultation with relevant bodies and that Secretary of State should have an explicit role in approving plans, including powers to require modifications, or to reject them.
	Maps of the proposed river basin districts are included at appendix 5 of the Government's Second Consultation Paper. Four basins will cross internal borders, two in England-Wales (the Severn and the Dee) and two in England-Scotland 1 (the Solway/Esk and the Tweed). The Directive allows individual river basins to be combined to form a district and it is proposed that England-Wales forms two districts, and it is likely that England-Scotland will combine basins to form one district.
	It is for further consideration how DEFRA and the Wales Assembly Government, and how DEFRA and the Scottish Executive will manage cross-border districts. Cross-border issues England-Scotland are treated separately from cross-border issues England-Wales to take account of the different legislation in place.
	1 A small number of tributaries of the North Tyne rise in Scotland before flowing into England. Since only a small area of the basin lies in Scotland, it is proposed that it be combined with a neighbouring basin lying wholly in England, such as the Tees, into a single river basin district.

Water Poverty

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the number of people affected by water poverty in (a) England, (b) the West Midlands and (c) North Staffordshire.

Elliot Morley: The Government do not have a quantitative definition for the term 'water poverty', and so no assessment has been made.
	Table A, which has been placed in the Library, is drawn from the DSS Family Resources Survey. This is the most recent available compiled information showing the relationship between water and sewerage bills and household incomes in England, and covers the years 1994–95 to 1998–99. The survey does not break the results down by region.
	The housing statistics division of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister have used these data to compile figures on 'water affordability' as one of the Government's Sustainable Development Indicators. For illustrative purposes, this exercise used 3 per cent. as the affordability threshold for proportion of income spent on water charges. A chart of these figures covers the years 1994–95 to 1997–98.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

Job Sharing

John Bercow: To ask the Solicitor-General if she will make a statement on the extent of job sharing in her Department.

Harriet Harman: holding answer 20 January 2003
	Personnel records for the Crown Prosecution Service show that across the Service on 31 December 2002 there were a total of 1439 staff (approximately 20 per cent. of the workforce) working on a part-time basis. The Crown Prosecution Service does not record job share details separately. However, a number of those working part-time are working on a job-share basis.
	The Serious Fraud Office offers its staff a range of flexible working practices to assist them in achieving a satisfactory work/life balance. However it does not, at present, have any staff that have opted to work under a job share arrangement nor has it received any job applications from individuals who wish to work in this way.
	Five job sharing arrangements were in place in the Treasury Solicitor's Department on 31 December 2002. All jobs in the Treasury Solicitor's Department are advertised on the basis that they are open to applicants who wish to work flexibly, unless this is expressly excluded due to the nature of the work.
	My own Department, the Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers, and HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate currently have no job sharers.

Legal Action

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Solicitor General what action she has taken to bring criminal charges against persons whose names have been communicated to her following the quashing of a conviction.

Harriet Harman: holding answer 8 January
	On the basis of the information provided to me by the hon. Member, I am unable to identify the matter to which he refers.

Police Officers (Bribery)

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Solicitor General what criteria she uses to decide whether to proceed with a prosecution of a police officer for bribery in cases involving release of information to the press.

Harriet Harman: holding answer 27 January
	cases involving allegations against police officers are reviewed in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors as are all cases. It is important for the maintenance of public and police confidence that the same standard is applied to all accused, whoever they may be. The Code recognises that a public interest factor in favour of a prosecution includes where the defendant
	"was in a position of authority or trust" (paragraph 6.4.d). Prosecutors will therefore have regard to the fact that police officers occupy positions of authority and trust in society.
	Under the Public Bodies Corrupt Practices Act 1889 both the offer or the acceptance of a bribe amounts to an offence. Corruption strikes at the heart of public confidence in administrative and judicial affairs. In all such cases where there is sufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of a conviction, a prosecution will normally take place unless the public interest factors against proceeding with a case clearly outweigh those in favour.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Arts Expenditure (Somerset)

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much money has been spent on the arts in Somerset in each financial year since 1999–2000.

Kim Howells: The following figures supplied by the Arts Council of England relate to the local authority and administrative area of Somerset county and therefore do not include north Somerset, Bath and north-east Somerset.
	
		Grant-in-aid expenditure in Somerset 1999–2002 -- £
		
			 Year Expenditure 
		
		
			 1999–2000 324,757 
			 2000–01 214,263 
			 2001–02 246,322 
		
	
	
		Lottery Expenditure in Somerset 1999–2002 -- £
		
			 Year Expenditure 
		
		
			 1999–2000 875,740 
			 2000–01 784,095 
			 2001–02 590,162

Civil Servants

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many civil servants have been employed by (a) her Department and (b) each of its agencies and non-departmental bodies in each year from 1994–95 to 2002–03; and if she will make a statement.

Kim Howells: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Cabinet Office on 22 January 2003, Official Report, columns 333–34W.

Free Television Licences

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will take steps to provide free television licences for all pensioners.

Kim Howells: No. The Government have introduced free television licences for people aged 75 or over, because older pensioners are more likely to be reliant on television as their window on the world. Older pensioners are also more likely to be on low incomes. We have no plans to extend free television licences to pensioners below the age of 75.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Businesses (Regional Variations)

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the regional variations in the number of (a) new businesses registering, (b) businesses trading on-line and (c) businesses with internet access in the United Kingdom.

Nigel Griffiths: holding answer 27 January 2003
	The information requested is set out in the tables
	
		Enterprises registering for VAT and registration rates by country and region, 2001
		
			  Thousands Number per 10,000 resident adults 
		
		
			 United Kingdom 175.5 37 
			 North East 4.1 20 
			 North West 17.6 32 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 11.7 29 
			 East Midlands 11.6 34 
			 West Midlands 14.2 33 
			 East of England 17.4 40 
			 London 34.9 59 
			 South East 28.4 44 
			 South West 14.5 36 
			 England 154.3 39 
			 Wales 6.0 26 
			 Scotland 11.5 28 
			 Northern Ireland 3.6 28 
		
	
	Source:
	Small Business Service
	
		UK Businesses trading online, by Region—per cent. (All businesses weighted by number of employees)
		
			  
		
		
			  
			 Greater London 36 
			 East of England 32 
			 Scotland 29 
			 North West 26 
			 West Midlands 26 
			 Wales 22 
			 Northern Ireland 21 
			 South East 20 
			 Yorkshire and Humberside 20 
			 East Midlands 19 
			 South West 18 
			 North East 15 
		
	
	Source:
	DTI International Benchmarking Study 2002
	
		UK Businesses with access to the Internet—per cent. (All businesses weighted by number of employees)
		
			  
		
		
			 Greater London 96 
			 Scotland 94 
			 Wales 93 
			 Yorkshire and Humberside 92 
			 South East 92 
			 East of England 91 
			 North East 90 
			 East Midlands 90 
			 South West 90 
			 North West 88 
			 Northern Ireland 85 
			 West Midlands 84 
		
	
	Source
	DTI International Benchmarking Study 2002
	We have a number of programmes to improve the record in all regions.

Citizens Advice Scotland

Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the representations her Department made regarding the refusal of the application by Citizens Advice Scotland to the Treasury's Capital Modernisation Fund in 2001 for funding of an electronic case recording system.

Melanie Johnson: The Department recognises the importance of ensuring that the integrity of a UK-wide Citizens Advice Service is maintained and that the Service in Scotland is on a par with the Service in England and Wales. We have therefore allocated additional one-off project funding of £1 million from within DTI's existing budgets to enable CAS to undertake this work.

Computer Misuse

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many cases of computer misuse there were in her Department in each of the last five years, broken down by each category of misuse; and how many of those cases resulted in disciplinary action.

Patricia Hewitt: My Department has recorded the following statistics for the misuse categories as listed (figures in brackets represent where disciplinary action was taken):
	
		
			  2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 
		
		
			 Accessing/handling inappropriate material 3 (3) 8 (4) 32 (0) 3 (0) 2 (0) 
			 Unauthorised access to or misuse of data 13 (0) 15 (0) 4 (0) 10 (0) 4 (0) 
		
	
	The figures do not include incidents occurring within the Department's Executive Agencies.

Debt Taskforce

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  how many times the Task Force on Tackling Over-Indebtedness has met since its establishment;
	(2)  how many DTI employees are engaged in work for the Task Force on Tackling Over-Indebtedness;
	(3)  what discussions the Task Force on Tackling Over-Indebtedness are involved in.

Melanie Johnson: holding answer 22 January 2003
	The Task Force on Tackling Over-indebtedness has met 10 times.
	The Task Force has sent me its second report which I am considering. I will be issuing a response shortly.
	No DTI staff are currently engaged in work for the Task Force.

Departmental Expenditiure (Newsprint)

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the total expenditure of her Department was on newspapers, magazines and periodicals in 2002.

Patricia Hewitt: My Department's expenditure on newspapers, magazines and periodicals for 2001–02 was £705,729.
	This includes expenditure on national daily and Sunday newspapers, regional newspapers, mass circulation magazines and journals, and academic periodicals. It also includes expenditure on annual publications, in particular reference works that would not normally be considered as periodicals. It is not possible to exclude such annual publications from the above figures, except at disproportionate cost.

Development Agencies

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry for what purpose Government money will be used to fund offices and staff for the Welsh Development Agency, the Scottish Development Agency, the East of England Development Agency, the North of England Development Agency and the South West of England Development Agency in California.

Alan Johnson: The Department is responsible for providing funding for overseas representation in California by One North East, South West of England Regional Development Agency and the East of England Development Agency to carry out inward investment activities. The Welsh Development Agency and Scottish Development International activities in California are funded separately by the Devolved Administrations.

Development Agencies

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will take powers to ensure that development agencies do not use public money to open offices and employ staff overseas without parliamentary or ministerial approval.

Alan Johnson: holding answer 14 January 2003
	I refer the right hon. Member to the answer given on 15 January 2003, Official Report, column 649W.

Equitable Life

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what reports she received on the transfer out of Equitable Life by the PIA's pension scheme in 1998 at the time the transfer took place.

Patricia Hewitt: None.

Export Control Act

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she will announce the start date for the consultation period on secondary legislation for the Export Control Act 2002.

Nigel Griffiths: We expect to publish a consultation document on the secondary legislation to be made under the Export Control Act 2002 shortly.

Future Integrated Soldier Technology

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she expects to be consulted about the industrial implication of the contractor selection for the Future Integrated Soldier Technology (FIST) programme; and whether she will take the value of export opportunities for British companies into account in her assessment of the relative merits of the competing contractors for the FIST programme.

Alan Johnson: I would expect to be formally consulted by the Ministry of Defence ahead of the preferred contractor decision and announcement. DTI officials have been taking a close interest in the Future Integrated Soldier Technology (FIST) programme and continue to be actively engaged with both the Defence Procurement Agency (DPA) and the companies over the industrial implications of the respective bids.
	An understanding of the export potential will form a part of the procurement assessment. As is usual for defence programmes, the Defence Export Services Organisation (DESO) takes the lead on these matters.

North Korea

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what reports she has received on the use by North Korea of the United Kingdom Magnox Reactor design to build its plutonium production reactors.

Nigel Griffiths: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has received no reports on the design of the DPRK's reactors.

Pensions (Keyboard Withdrawals)

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what arrangements she is making to assist elderly pensioners suffering from macular degeneration to withdraw their pensions in cash using a keyboard and PIN once the new procedures are implemented.

Stephen Timms: This is a matter which falls within the day to day responsibility of Post Office Ltd. I have therefore asked the Chief Executive to reply direct to the hon. Member.

PV Solar Panels

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to his answer of 20 January 2003, Official Report, columns 11–12W, on PV Solar Panels, why grants for PV solar panels were awarded only to public buildings in 2002.

Brian Wilson: The Large Scale Field Trial was open only to public buildings because European Union State Aid Rules prevented us from giving substantial grants to private sector entities for this type of research and development project.

Small Business

Meg Munn: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what (a) advice and (b) financial support her Department gives to small businesses which are transferred to new owners.

Nigel Griffiths: Personal Business Advisers based in the national network of Business Link Operators can provide advice and support for small businesses transferring to new owners, including help with management buy-outs. Small businesses should call 0845 600 9006 to be put in touch with their local operator, or visit www.businesslink.org to find out more.
	The SBS website at: http://www.sbs.gov.uk/content/dti/bsuccession/index.htm sets out the main regulations that apply when a business changes hands, and how to comply with them.
	In addition, the Business Debtline, a 3-year pilot, provides support and advice to primarily, but not exclusively, sole traders and micro businesses in financial difficulties. The free phone number 0800 197 6026 and a self-help pack containing comprehensive advice is also available.

TREASURY

Accounting Standards

Howard Flight: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what plans he has to give the Financial Services Authority responsibility for investigating the accounts of companies suspected of breaching accounting standards and laws;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of measures in place to deter breaches of accounting standards and laws by British businesses.

Melanie Johnson: I have been asked to reply.
	This is one of the areas currently being looked at by the Co-ordinating Group on Audit and Accounting Issues. They will be presenting their report to my right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry and the Chancellor of the Exchequer by the end of the month and I expect my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will make a statement.

Child Trust Fund

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will set out what the timetable is for the introduction of the Child Trust Fund.

Ruth Kelly: The Government will announce further decisions regarding the implementation of the Child Trust Fund as part of the Budget cycle, in line with normal practice relating to annually managed expenditure.

Child Trust Fund

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which types of financial service providers will be permitted to sell the Child Trust Fund; and whether (a) fund managers and (b) life insurance companies will be permitted to do so.

Ruth Kelly: As announced in the pre-Budget report, the Child Trust Fund will be offered through open market provision. Providers—including fund managers and life insurance companies—will be able to enter the market if they satisfy a set of conditions.

Construction Industry Scheme

Mark Prisk: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what impact the extension in application of the Construction Industry Scheme to the fitting out of commercial properties has had on (a) landlords, (b) tenants and (c) other non-construction sector enterprises; whether a regulatory impact assessment has been made following the recent changes; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: There have been no recent changes to the scope of the Construction Industry Scheme. Whether the scheme applies to the fitting out of commercial premises depends on the commercial arrangements between the parties concerned. This has always been the case.

Dormant Accounts

Martyn Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the total amount of assets residing in dormant accounts and intestate estates held by (a) banks, (b) building societies, (c) credit unions and (d) the post office;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of (a) the British Bankers Association scheme and (b) the Building Societies Association scheme to assist customers in tracing dormant accounts and intestate estates.

Ruth Kelly: We welcome both these schemes. As stated in the discussion document "Next Steps on Volunteering and Giving in the UK", a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House, we believe that a more comprehensive unclaimed assets scheme for the voluntary and community sector has considerable attractions. We intend to work constructively with the banks, financial institutions and the voluntary and community sector to reach a shared understanding of the assets involved, of how things can be improved and how a comprehensive database might be achieved that would lead to a considerable increase in charities' income.

Dormant Accounts

Martyn Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what plans he has to introduce legislation to place a statutory duty on banks, building societies, credit unions and the Post Office to trace owners of dormant accounts;
	(2)  what plans he has to introduce legislation to enable the transfer of assets held in dormant accounts and intestate estates held by banks, building societies, credit unions and the Post Office into an independently managed dormant accounts fund, if the rightful owner or heir is not traced.

Ruth Kelly: None.

HMS Nottingham

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 13 January 2003, Official Report, column 403W, on HMS Nottingham, which Department of State is paying for the cost of transportation of HMS Nottingham on a heavy lift ship.

Adam Ingram: I have been asked to reply.
	The cost of transporting HMS Nottingham back to the United Kingdom on a heavy lift ship will be met by the Ministry of Defence from within existing funds, and by flexing of priorities if necessary.

Inland Revenue

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of the level of real spending in the Inland Revenue in each year from 1985–86 to 2002–03, using 2000–01 prices; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The real expenditure on the Inland Revenue Department's administration, quoted at 2000–01 prices is as follows:
	
		£ million 
		
			  Expenditure 
		
		
			 1985–86 (2)— 
			 1986–87 1,647.3 
			 1987–88 1,718.1 
			 1988–89 1,668.6 
			 1989–90 1,748.0 
			 1990–91 1,833.8 
			 1991–92 1,919.7 
			 1992–93 1,914.6 
			 1993–94 2,007.7 
			 1994–95 1,845.9 
			 1995–96 1,871.7 
			 1996–97 1,810.3 
			 1997–98 1,771.7 
			 1998–99 1,810.3 
			 1999–2000 1,929.0 
			 2000–01 2,096.0 
			 2001–02 1,991.0 
			 2002–03 (3)— 
		
	
	(2) Information unobtainable within the timescale.
	(3) Full-year expenditure details not yet available.
	Notes:
	1. 1999–2000—The Inland Revenue took on the Contributions Agency and Family Credit Unit.
	2. 1999–2000—The reported expenditure from this year forward has been reported under the resource accounting, that is accruals, basis. Prior to this the figures were reported under a cash basis.

Landfill Tax Credit

David Burnside: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to revise the operation of the landfill tax credit in Northern Ireland.

John Healey: As announced in the pre-Budget report, the Government will continue a reformed tax credit scheme which will make available approximately a third of the funding that is currently going through the landfill tax credit scheme, around £47 million per year, for spending on local community environment projects. The figure of £47 million will be kept broadly constant in real terms, which will ensure that the current level of support for these types of projects is maintained. The Government are considering how this successor tax credit scheme, which will apply throughout the UK, may be changed to take account of the most serious criticisms of the current scheme made by bodies including the Public Accounts Committee. The Government will set out its plans for reform of the scheme on a Budget timetable.
	The remainder of the funding which would otherwise be going through the landfill tax credit scheme, around £100 million in 2003–04, will be allocated to public spending to encourage sustainable waste management.
	This spending will be a devolved matter, and it will be for the Northern Ireland Assembly or, during a period when the Assembly is suspended, Northern Ireland Office Ministers to determine how to allocate these funds to sustainable waste management activities in Northern Ireland.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Afghanistan

Mike Wood: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much was spent on aid to Afghanistan in 2002; and what will be spent in 2003.

Clare Short: The international community provided approximately $1.8 billion to Afghanistan in 2002. DFID's contribution is over £55 million in the 2002–03 financial year so far.
	Donor's contributions for 2003 have yet to be finalised, although there are indications that it will be broadly similar to last year.

Computer Misuse

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many cases of computer misuse there were in her Department in each of the last five years, broken down by each category of misuse; and how many of those cases resulted in disciplinary action.

Clare Short: I am pleased to advise that we have had no recorded cases of computer misuse in the last five years in my Department.

Ethiopia

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions she has had with the Defence Secretary regarding safeguards on military aid to Ethiopia.

Clare Short: Our Country Assistance Plan for Ethiopia includes a commitment to consideration of how we might help Ethiopia reform its security sector. The first step towards this will be a joint DFID/FCO/MOD scoping mission in early April 2003.

Ethiopia

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment her Department has made of the impact of Ethiopia's debt burden on poverty levels in Ethiopia.

Clare Short: Ethiopia qualified for interim debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) Initiative at decision point in November 2001. In the current Ethiopian financial year, this will reduce external debt service payments by 54 per cent. and allow an increase in poverty-targeted expenditure of around 1.3 per cent. of GDP. Ethiopia has now completed its Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper, called "Sustainable Development and Poverty Reduction Programme". This sets out the policy action framework not only for spending the savings from debt relief, but also for allocating all other aid and Government revenue, so that they have the greatest impact on poverty reduction.

Ethiopia

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment her Department has made of human rights violations by (a) the Ethiopian Government and (b) the Ethiopian military.

Clare Short: We take allegations of human rights abuses in Ethiopia seriously, regularly raising concerns both bilaterally and through the EU. The Ethiopian Government set out plans in its Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper to make progress in these areas. Our response is set out in our newly agreed Country Assistance Plan for Ethiopia.

Ethiopia

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment her Department has made of (a) the freedom of the press and (b) the independence of the judiciary in Ethiopia.

Clare Short: The Ethiopian Government set out plans in its Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper to make progress in these areas. Our response is set out in our newly agreed Country Assistance Plan for Ethiopia.

Ethiopia

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment her Department has made of levels of political and ethnic violence in Ethiopia.

Clare Short: We have covered these issues in our newly agreed Country Assistance Plan for Ethiopia, which will be available on the DFID website in February 2003.

Ethiopia

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proportion of Ethiopia's total debt burden will be relieved if Ethiopia completes the HIPC Initiative; and when she expects Ethiopia to complete the HIPC Initiative.

Clare Short: We expect Ethiopia to reach completion point under the Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) Initiative in 2004, at which stage, it will receive an irrevocable reduction in its debt stock. Total debt relief is expected to be US$1.9 billion in nominal terms, which is equivalent to 47 per cent. of the net present value of debt service. The British Government are concerned that no country should exit the HIPC process with an unsustainable level of debt. Where necessary, we therefore support the provision of additional debt relief at completion point—so called 'topping up'—for countries such as Ethiopia which, since decision point, have suffered shocks which reduce their export earnings and ability to service their debts.

Iraq

Mike Wood: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what contingency plans her Department has made for humanitarian assistance to Iraq in the event of military action; and what funds the Government will make available for such measures.

Clare Short: My Department is undertaking contingency planning for a range of eventualities in Iraq. The potential costs of additional humanitarian assistance under various scenarios, and how they would be financed, are under active review.

World Trade Rules

John Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what measures the Government are taking to make the eradication of poverty the primary aim of world trade rules.

Clare Short: World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules need to apply to all members. But they must also be achievable by developing countries, with realistic implementation schedules and targets.
	New rules require the right balance between standardisation and flexibility. For rules to be strong and binding, they need to have enough flexibility to meet the varying needs of the WTO membership and to recognise that WTO members are at different stages of development.
	Without flexibility, new WTO agreements will be stuck at the lowest common denominator. This will lead to richer members making agreements amongst themselves outside the WTO and without consideration for the impacts on developing countries.
	The term special and differential treatment is used to describe special provisions for developing countries in existing WTO agreements 1 . Many developing countries complain that in the Uruguay Round the application of special and differential treatment and the treatment of different country circumstances were haphazard and that longer implementation deadlines for developing countries were decided arbitrarily.
	There needs to be a better application of flexibility in designing future WTO rules. Appropriate flexibility should be integrated systematically into WTO agreements, rather than added on as an afterthought.
	Special and differential treatment reforms will eventually link into the poverty reduction strategies. Thus the integration of trade policy reform is essential if poor people are to benefit from trade liberalisation. In addition to special and differential treatment, the UK has been supporting the Integrated Framework. The Integrated Framework has two aims: to identify trade capacity building and technical assistance needs in least developed countries to which the multilateral agencies and donors can then make a co-ordinated response; and to mainstream trade into least developed countries poverty reduction strategies, so that pro-poor trade policies are included in a consistent manner in a country's overall development strategy. The Integrated Framework is based on the principle of country ownership and partnership. It is now being implemented in 14 least developed countries and eventually will be extended to Low Income countries. Ultimately the Integrated Framework should cease to be necessary as trade becomes successfully integrated into poverty reduction strategies.
	1 These are in the form of (1) provisions aimed at increasing trade opportunities, (2) provisions that call upon WTO members to safeguard the interest of developing countries, (3) flexibility of commitments, (4) transitional time periods, and (5) technical assistance.

World Trade Rules

John Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate the United Nations has published in US dollar value of the international sales disadvantage effectively imposed on poor countries by world trade rules.

Clare Short: The world's poorest countries face tariffs that are on average more than twice as high as those facing developed countries. Recent research estimates that developing countries could gain approximately $150 billion a year in real income from a 50 per cent. reduction in tariff barriers and other forms of protection by both developed and developing countries. Similarly, it has also been estimated that a 40 per cent. reduction in agricultural tariffs and export subsidies could boost global real incomes by around $60 billion a year.

Zimbabwe

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what measures she is taking to put pressure on Zimbabwe to allow private imports of food to Zimbabwe.

Clare Short: The UN, with our strong support, have been pressurising Zimbabwe to import sufficient food for the non-destitute for many months. Zimbabwe has a state monopoly on cereal imports, and price controls that prevent effective private-sector participation in the food market. All donors have appealed to Zimbabwe to amend the current restrictions. The UN Special Envoy for the Southern Africa Humanitarian crisis, Mr. James Morris, has raised this issue with Mr. Mugabe six times, most recently obtaining agreement that a scheme first proposed in mid-2002 to facilitate private sector involvement, should be reconsidered for wheat imports for urban needs.
	Private sector participation would help make food available for those who do have the money to purchase it. But while the private sector as a whole remains excluded, many organisations have been able to obtain import licences for specific programmes of humanitarian assistance.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Criminal Records Bureau

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many teachers are awaiting clearance from the Criminal Records Bureau, broken down by local education authority.

Hilary Benn: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Walthamstow (Neil Gerrard) on 20 January 2003, Official Report, column 194W.

Average Sentences

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average sentence for (a) burglary and (b) robbery was in each year since 1972.

Hilary Benn: The information requested, relating to average custodial sentence length for persons sentenced for burglary and robbery in England and Wales 1984 to 2001, is contained in the table. Data for earlier years are not available.
	Statistics for 2002 will be published in the autumn.
	
		Average custodial sentence length imposed at all courts for persons convicted of offences of burglary and robbery and the number sentenced to life imprisonment England and Wales, 1984 to 2001(4)
		
			  Burglary Robbery  
			  Average custodial sentence length (months)(5) Persons sentenced to life imprisonment(6) Average custodial sentence length (months)(5) Persons sentenced to life imprisonment(6) 
		
		
			 1984 9.4 — 29.4 — 
			 1985 10.0 2 30.9 1 
			 1986 10.7 — 35.6 3 
			 1987 11.7 2 38.5 1 
			 1988 12.2 1 37.5 1 
			 1989 12.4 — 37.0 1 
			 1990 12.0 — 37.3 2 
			 1991 11.5 — 38.8 4 
			 1992 11.5 — 39.0 1 
			 1993 11.1 — 38.8 6 
			 1994 11.4 — 39.8 — 
			 1995 12.0 1 38.2 2 
			 1996 13.8 — 38.1 8 
			 1997 15.8 — 39.1 4 
			 1998 15.5 1 35.3 16 
			 1999 15.7 — 35.7 37 
			 2000 15.9 — 36.1 31 
			 2001 16.6 3 35.4 23 
		
	
	(4) These data are on the principal offence basis.
	(5) Excludes those sentenced to a life sentence.
	(6) From 1984 to 1997 the numbers sentenced to life imprisonment exclude those who were sentenced under Sec 53(2) Children and Young Persons Act 1933.

Community Sentences

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what was the average number of hours of community service required by community sentences given by magistrates in England and Wales to (a) under 17-year-olds, (b) 17 to 21-year-olds and (c) over 21-year-olds in each year since 1995;
	(2)  how many community sentences were given by magistrates in England and Wales to (a) under 17-years-olds, (b) 17 to 21-year-olds and (c) over 21-year-olds in each year since 1995.

Hilary Benn: The information requested is contained in the table.
	
		Number of persons sentenced at magistrates courts to a community sentence, community punishment order or community punishment and rehabilitation order, and the average number of hours ordered to be served, England and Wales 1995 to 2001(7)
		
			 Year/age group Number sentenced to a community sentence Number sentenced to a CPO or CPRO(8) Average hours(9) 
		
		
			 1995
			 10 to 16 years 15,096 1,350 90 
			 17 to 21 years 31,055 15,552 98 
			 22 and over 61,389 32,553 129 
			 All ages 107,540 49,455 118 
			 
			 1996
			 10 to 16 years 15,857 1,561 87 
			 17 to 21 years 32,382 16,076 96 
			 22 and over 64,566 33,550 107 
			 All ages 112,805 51,187 103 
			 
			 1997
			 10 to 16 years 16,502 1,724 86 
			 17 to 21 years 32,725 16,338 96 
			 22 and over 68,588 35,186 106 
			 All ages 117,815 53,248 102 
			 
			 1998
			 10 to 16 years 18,569 1,847 86 
			 17 to 21 years 35,132 17,966 95 
			 22 and over 73,333 36,909 105 
			 All ages 127,034 56,722 101 
			 
			 1999
			 10 to 16 years 19,649 2,133 84 
			 17 to 21 years 37,589 19,379 95 
			 22 and over 73,739 39,908 104 
			 All ages 130,977 58,420 100 
			 
			 2000
			 10 to 16 years 24,338 2,214 85 
			 17 to 21 years 38,633 19,581 94 
			 22 and over 72,961 35,975 104 
			 All ages 135,932 57,770 100 
			 
			 2001
			 10 to 16 years 30,027 2,009 87 
			 17 to 21 years 40,227 18,557 95 
			 22 and over 75,215 34,384 104 
			 All ages 145,469 54,950 100 
		
	
	(7) These data are on the principal offence basis.
	(8) CPO = community punishment order. CPRO = community punishment and rehabilitation order.
	(9) Average hours of community punishment order and community punishment order within community punishment and rehabilitation order to be served.

Crime

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will define total crime for the purposes of the allocation of drug and crime reduction funding for 2003–04 to police basic command units.

Bob Ainsworth: holding answer 27 January 2003
	The national recorded crime statistics for burglary, robbery and theft of and from vehicles, were used for determining the 30 Basic Command Units (BCUs) with the highest levels of acquisitive crime. Although recorded crime statistics do not differentiate between drug and non-drug related crime, these types of crimes are the ones mostly closely associated with drug use.

Crime Reduction

Ross Cranston: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his written answer of 16 December 2002, Official Report, column 624W, when he plans to place the findings of the exercise on crime and disorder reduction partnerships and their implications for nuisance and noise associated with fireworks in the Library; and if he will make a statement.

John Denham: As I indicated to my hon. Friend on 16 December 2002, Official Report, column 624W, the monitoring exercise he refers to was set up to monitor incidents relating to the improper use of fireworks between 23 October and 15 January. We are currently gathering and analysing the responses received. Once this process has been completed a copy of our findings will be placed in the Library.

Criminal Cases Review Commission

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many convictions have been overturned by the Court of Appeal following a referral by the Criminal Cases Review Commission since March 1997.

Hilary Benn: The Court of Appeal has quashed 60 convictions obtained in England and Wales following references by the Criminal Cases Review Commission.

Criminal Cases Review Commission

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases, where the conviction has been overturned by the Court of Appeal following a referral by the Criminal Cases Review Commission, had previously been investigated by his Department prior to March 1997.

Hilary Benn: Departmental records indicate that 36 cases, where the Court of Appeal has quashed a conviction obtained in England and Wales following references by the Criminal Cases Review Commission, had previously been the subject of applications to my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary for a referral. I am unable to say how many of these 36 cases were investigated prior to their transfer to the Commission, as this information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Criminal Cases Review Commission

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases the Criminal Cases Review Commission has referred to the Court of Appeal since March 1997.

Hilary Benn: The Criminal Cases Review Commission has referred 173 cases to the Court of Appeal. (This figure includes referrals of convictions or sentences or both, but excludes referrals to the Court of Appeal in Northern Ireland or to Crown Courts.)

Criminal Cases Review Commission

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases have been referred to the Criminal Cases Review Commission since March 1997.

Hilary Benn: There have been 5,520 applications from England, Wales and Northern Ireland to the Criminal Cases Review Commission. This figure includes requests for case reviews of both summary and indictable convictions and of sentence only. At least three quarters of the applications received prove to be ineligible for a case review (usually because of a failure to exhaust the normal appeals process).

Drink-driving

Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many custodial sentences were given for drink-driving offences in the last three years, broken down by police authority;
	(2)  how many drink-driving convictions in England and Wales there have been in the last three years, broken down by police authority.

Hilary Benn: Information taken from the Home Office Court Proceedings Database on convictions and custodial sentences for drink-driving offences by police force area 1998 to 2000 is shown in the table. Data for 2001 will be available in February.
	
		Findings of guilt and immediate custodial sentences at all courts for offences of driving etc after consuming alcohol or taking drugs by police force area, 1998—2000
		
			  1998 1999 2000  
			 Police Force area Findings  of guilt Immediate  custody(10) Findings  of guilt Immediate custody(10) Findings  of guilt Immediate custody(10) 
		
		
			 Avon and Somerset 2,566 157 2,728 165 2,462 152 
			 Bedfordshire 1,060 96 869 87 797 89 
			 Cambridgeshire 1,060 62 941 43 793 41 
			 Cheshire 1,903 119 1,827 133 1,652 122 
			 Cleveland 870 63 811 57 777 56 
			 Cumbria 856 51 871 37 806 50 
			 Derbyshire 1,547 202 1,463 181 1,417 126 
			 Devon and Cornwall 2,265 127 2,277 112 2,199 104 
			 Dorset 1,186 88 1,120 96 1,115 84 
			 Durham 1,035 53 1,137 81 1,124 76 
			 Essex 2,438 233 2,528 261 2,462 237 
			 Gloucestershire 985 36 889 51 804 37 
			 Gt Manchester 4,715 453 4,850 464 4,801 428 
			 Hampshire 3,597 231 3,725 213 3,472 244 
			 Hertfordshire 1,672 91 1,679 90 1,552 98 
			 Humberside 1,358 87 1,323 97 1,371 128 
			 Kent 2,627 155 2,633 133 2,592 134 
			 Lancashire 2,945 178 3,010 184 2,584 163 
			 Leicestershire 1,485 140 1,624 188 1,531 152 
			 Lincolnshire 979 36 941 44 816 48 
			 London, City of 301 9 236 5 162 4 
			 Merseyside 2,451 326 2,137 296 2,128 286 
			 Met Police 13,889 1,050 12,414 838 11,801 891 
			 Norfolk 1,118 43 1,010 64 935 45 
			 Northamptonshire 1,062 73 1,058 91 782 90 
			 Northumbria 2,457 194 2,463 229 2,621 215 
			 North Yorkshire 1,205 77 1,124 60 1,073 67 
			 Nottinghamshire 1,804 247 1,802 262 1,722 210 
			 South Yorkshire 2,002 178 1,927 149 2,122 170 
			 Staffordshire(11) 1,955 140 1,711 143 (12)— (12)— 
			 Suffolk 1,042 60 1,089 71 902 74 
			 Surrey 1,328 58 1,417 47 1,539 61 
			 Sussex 2,113 113 2,224 120 2,112 136 
			 Thames Valley 3,896 195 3,725 216 3,496 212 
			 Warwickshire 784 53 856 38 786 42 
			 West Mercia 1,794 97 1,747 114 1,631 101 
			 West Midlands 5,582 532 4,775 532 4,559 451 
			 West Yorkshire 3,669 329 3,597 358 3,375 287 
			 Wiltshire 1,108 39 1,009 45 930 28 
			 Total England 86,709 6,471 83,567 6,395 80,671 6,076 
			
			 Dyfed Powys 995 38 944 48 858 45 
			 Gwent 1,203 84 1,079 78 1,211 99 
			 North Wales 1,306 95 1,248 94 1,332 92 
			 South Wales 2,903 239 2,526 282 2,757 255 
			 Total Wales 6,407 456 5,797 502 6,158 491 
			 Total England and Wales 93,116 6,927 89,364 6,897 86,829 6,567 
		
	
	(10) Immediate custody includes sentences of Secure Training Order, Detention and Training Order Young Offenders Institution, and Unsuspended sentence of imprisonment.
	(11) Staffordshire police force were only able to submit sample data for persons proceeded against and convicted in the magistrates' courts for the year 2000. Although sufficient to estimate higher orders of data, these data are not robust enough at a detailed level and have been excluded from the table.
	(12) Not available.

Drug Dependency (Prisoners)

Archie Norman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he proposes to improve the quality and coverage of prison-based drug treatment programmes.

Hilary Benn: A framework is already in place to address the wide-ranging needs of drug-misusing prisoners and includes:
	detoxification in all local and remand prisons;
	Counselling, Assessment, Referral, Advice and Throughcare (CARATs) in all prisons;
	60 intensive treatment programmes;
	voluntary drug testing available in all prisons.
	Delivery is supported by a range of quality standards:
	minimum standards for clinical services for substance misusers and for CARATs;
	independent accreditation of treatment programmes by the Correctional Services Accreditation Panel (formerly the Joint Accreditation Panel)—with the aim of having all programmes accredited by March 2004;
	separate auditing is also conducted by the Standards Audit Unit, in accordance with PSO 0200—Performance Standards Manual.
	Additionally, the Service is working closely with the National Treatment Agency to ensure its models of care, treatment standards and standards for drug workers are, where appropriate, being applied to prison-based work.
	The Government's 2002 Spending Review made provision for significant, additional funding for action on drugs misuse. In particular, investment in aftercare and throughcare will help ensure the gains made whilst prisoners are in custody are not lost on their release. Provision has also been made to boost treatment in prisons.

Drug Dependency (Prisoners)

Archie Norman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the number of prisoners in the United Kingdom who would benefit from a programme of treatment for drugs dependency.

Hilary Benn: Records of the number of prisoners who would benefit from a programme of treatment are not kept centrally. Data from the Office for National Statistics show that around 80 per cent. of prisoners had used drugs at some point before coming into prison, with 54 per cent. reporting drug dependency in the year prior to custody.
	A framework is in place to address the wide-ranging needs of drug-misusing prisoners and includes:
	detoxification in all local and remand prisons;
	Counselling, Assessment, Referral, Advice and Throughcare (CARATs) in all prisons;
	60 intensive treatment programmes;
	voluntary drug testing available in all prisons.
	Delivery is supported by a range of quality standards:
	minimum standards for clinical services for substance misusers and for CARATs;
	independent accreditation of treatment programmes by the Correctional Services Accreditation Panel (formerly the Joint Accreditation Panel)—with the aim of having all programmes accredited by March 2004;
	separate auditing is also conducted by the Standards Audit Unit, in accordance with PSO 0200—Performance Standards Manual.
	Additionally, the Service is working closely with the National Treatment Agency to ensure its models of care, treatment standards and standards for drug workers are, where appropriate, being applied to prison-based work.
	The Government's 2002 Spending Review made provision for significant, additional funding for action on drugs misuse. In particular, investment in aftercare and throughcare will help ensure the gains made while prisoners are in custody are not lost on their release. Provision has also been made to boost treatment in prisons.

Drug Dependency (Prisoners)

Archie Norman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the routes by which drugs enter prisons; and what proportion enter through external visits.

Hilary Benn: By definition drug smuggling is a covert activity which is extremely difficult to quantify and will vary between prisons. The main identified routes by which attempts are made to smuggle drugs into prisons include:
	social visits;
	mail;
	perimeter breach; and
	reception

Drug Dependency (Prisoners)

Archie Norman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many places on drug treatment programmes are available to prisoners in (a) England and (b) Kent.

Hilary Benn: The Prison Service has in place a comprehensive framework to address the needs of drug-misusing prisoners.
	Delivery targets are given in the table.
	
		
			 Intervention All prisons' targets (by March 2004) Kent targets (2002–03) 
		
		
			 CARATs(13) 25,000 1,000 
			 Detoxification 27,000 210 
			 Rehabilitation programmes and TCs(14) 5,700 406 
			 VDT compacts(15) 28,000 2,234 
		
	
	(13) Counselling assessment referral advice through care.
	(14) Therapeutic communities.
	(15) Voluntary drug testing.

Drug Dependency (Prisoners)

Archie Norman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he intends to take to ensure that arrestees who test positive for drugs are directed into treatment programmes.

Bob Ainsworth: In the areas in England and Wales where the provisions for drug testing persons in police detention are currently being implemented, it is part of the drug testing procedure that those who test positive for a specified Class A drug are given specific opportunity to see an arrest referral worker, with a view to assessment of their drug misuse and referral to appropriate treatment.
	Measures being introduced as part of the Government's new comprehensive programme of criminal justice interventions to get drug misusers into treatment include the enhancement of existing arrest referral schemes and the expansion and extension of the drug testing arrangements under which the police can test persons, after charge, for specified Class A drugs. We are also taking forward in the Criminal Justice Bill the proposal to pilot a presumption against bail for those who refuse to be assessed as to their dependency on, or propensity to misuse, specified Class A drugs, or who then refuse to undergo relevant follow-up action recommended.
	The programme will be backed up by improvements in treatment capacity and local delivery.

Drug Dependency (Prisoners)

Archie Norman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of prisoners in Kent tested positive for drugs in each of the past five years.

Hilary Benn: The proportion of prisoners who tested positive under random mandatory drug testing (MDT) in Kent prisons is given in the table.
	
		
			  Percentage positive 
		
		
			 1997–98 13.6 
			 1998–99 11.9 
			 1999–2000 9.8 
			 2000–01 8.8 
			 2001–02 9.4

Drug Dependency (Prisoners)

Archie Norman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he proposes to address the availability of drugs in prisons.

Hilary Benn: A range of measures is in place to reduce the availability of drugs in prisons. Elements include:
	passive and active drug dogs;
	a range of fixed and low-level furniture in visits areas;
	closed circuit television in visits areas;
	measures to deal with visitors who smuggle drugs into prisons;
	mandatory drug testing; and
	agreed searching policies.

Drug Dependency (Prisoners)

Archie Norman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners in the past year underwent treatment for drugs dependency in (a) England and (b) Kent.

Hilary Benn: The numbers of prisoners engaging in some form of drugs treatment during 2001–02 are given in the table.
	
		
			 Intervention All prisons (England and Wales) Kent prisons 
		
		
			 CARATs(16) 39,279 initial assessments 1,697 
			 Detoxification 40,865 entrants 616 
			 Rehabilitation programmes and therapeutic communities 4,691 entrants 539 
			 Voluntary drug testing compacts 27,041 compacts signed 2,432 
		
	
	(16) Counselling, Assessment, Referral, Advice and Throughcare services.

Gun Crime

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many people were convicted of offences involving airguns during 2001–02; what proportion of those convictions were for criminal damage; how many of those convicted of criminal damage were aged under 17 years; and what the ages were of all those convicted of offences more serious than criminal damage involving airguns;
	(2)  what proportion of those convicted of firearms offences during 2001–02 (a) had no previous criminal convictions, (b) had served sentences in custody and (c) were in each age decile from age 10 upwards.

Bob Ainsworth: The information requested is not collected centrally. However, 240 persons aged 10 and under 17 years were found guilty of offences in England and Wales during 2001 under the various Firearms Acts 1968 to 1997 (11 per cent. of all persons found guilty of firearms offences). The equivalent figures for those persons aged 17 and under 21 was 455 (21 per cent.); and 1,467 persons aged 21 and over (68 per cent.).
	Information for 2002 is due for publication in the late autumn of 2003.

Gun Crime

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many incidents of illegal gun possession crime were recorded in (a) Lancashire, (b) the north-west of England, (c) England, (d) Wales and (e) the UK in (i) 2002 and (ii) each of the preceding five years.

Bob Ainsworth: Numbers of illegal firearm possession offences are not collected separately. Offences of illegal possession of firearms are included in the recorded crime classifications of 'Possession of Weapons' and 'Firearms Acts Offences' (Home Office offence classifications 8B and 81 respectively), but other offences are also included under these classifications, for example, possession of knives and illegal trading in firearms. These offence classifications were used from 1 April 1998, and the figures for England and Wales since that date are given in the table. A breakdown of the offences included under these classifications is included on the Home Office website at: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/countrules.html
	
		
			 Financial year Possession of weapons Firearms acts offences 
		
		
			 1998–99 23,635 3,325 
			 1999–2000 23,792 3,143 
			 2000–01 24,552 3,531 
			 2001–02 28,740 3,205 
		
	
	Some police forces adopted the principles of the National Crime Recording Standard in advance of its national implementation on 1 April 2002, which will have the effect of increasing the number of crimes counted.
	Information relating to Scotland and Northern Ireland are matters for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

HMP Garth and HMP Wymott

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what plans he has to introduce 24-hour health care at HMP Wymott;
	(2)  what plans he has to build a prison hospital on the site of (a) HMP Garth and (b) HMP Wymott.

Hilary Benn: There are no plans to introduce full 24-hour health care at Wymott prison as there is already a 13-place in-patient facility with 24-hour nursing cover in the health care centre at Garth prison, which serves as a resource for other Prison Service establishments in the area, including Wymott prison.

HMP Garth and HMP Wymott

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the decision was taken to place two prisoners in single cells at HMP Wymott.

Hilary Benn: The decision to ask training establishments to locate two prisoners in selected single cells was taken centrally, as a result of the overwhelming population pressures faced by the prisons estate. The practice commenced at Wymott on 26 June 2002. Each single cell utilised in this way has been risk assessed for the purpose, and all prisoners are also individually risk assessed to determine their suitability for location with another prisoner.

HMP Garth and HMP Wymott

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to build (a) extensions to and (b) a new prison at (i) HMP Garth and (ii) HMP Wymott.

Hilary Benn: On 27 March 2002, the Prison Service was granted an extension in time of a further five years to the planning clearances already granted for additional single houseblocks for 120 prisoners at both Garth and Wymott prisons.
	Planning clearance has been applied for to increase the size of the proposed houseblock at Wymott to 180 places. The outcome of the application is expected on 21 January 2003. On 24 July 2002, planning clearance was granted for an 80 place modular temporary unit (MTU) at Wymott, which will be additional to the 180-place houseblock. Work is under way to construct the 80 place MTU and, subject to a successful planning application, work on the 180-place houseblock will begin in the near future.
	There are no immediate plans to build the houseblock at Garth although the position will be regularly reviewed and there are currently no plans to build a complete new prison at either site.

HMP Garth and HMP Wymott

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the number of bed watches taking place at HMP Wymott; and what the average number was in other prisons at the most recent available date.

Hilary Benn: Since July 2002, there have been 1,000 bedwatches for 60 prisoners at Wymott, averaging around 40 per week. No figures are centrally collected on the frequency of bedwatches and information on the average number in other prisons is therefore not available.

HMP Garth and HMP Wymott

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners were taken to hospital from HMP Wymott on average in each of the last five years.

Hilary Benn: During the last five years, an average of 470 prisoners have been taken to hospital each year from Wymott prison.

HMP Garth and HMP Wymott

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners died in HMP Wymott in each of the last five years.

Hilary Benn: A total of 14 prisoners have died at HMP Wymott in the last five years: two in 1998, three in 1999, five in 2000, one in 2001 and three in 2002.

Juvenile Offenders

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he is taking to ensure that the courts deal effectively with persistent juvenile offenders.

Hilary Benn: We have delivered the Youth Justice Pledge by halving the time taken from arrest to sentence for persistent young offenders, funded Youth Justice Board Intensive Supervision and Surveillance programmes for the most prolific offenders and introduced the detention and training order for persistent and more serious young offenders.
	We have also strengthened the secure remand powers and introduced bail tagging for 12 to 16-year-olds nationally, and 17-year-olds in the 10 street crime priority areas, who repeatedly offend.
	We have already reduced young offender reconvictions by 14.6 per cent., as measured by those dealt with in July 2000 just after national implementation of the main youth justice reforms.

Police Authority Funding

Colin Challen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the standard police grant sought by each police authority in England and Wales was in each year since 1996–97; and what the final settlement was for each authority.

John Denham: holding answer 16 January 2003
	Police grant is allocated by the police funding formula and not by police authority bids. The funding formula is largely based on an analysis of policing activity. Distribution between Police Authorities takes into account socio-demographic factors such as population.
	I have placed in the Library details of general policing grants since 1996–97. Figures for 2003–04 are provisional. I expect to announce details of the final settlement for next year on 5 February.

Prison Staff Changes

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how quickly a risk assessment has to be carried out in prisons when changes in staffing levels take place.

Hilary Benn: Prison Governors are required to carry out risk assessments where a change in staffing level brings an increased level of risk to staff, prisoners and others.
	The risk assessment should be carried out on those jobs, which are affected by a change in working practice, and should be completed before the change in staffing levels is implemented, except where the operational demands of the Service prevent this.

Replica Guns

Stephen Hesford: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his policy on possession of a replica gun in a public place.

Bob Ainsworth: An imitation firearm can create the same fear as a real one. It is not acceptable that people going about their business should be put in fear in this way. We therefore propose to introduce a new offence of having an imitation firearm in a public place without reasonable excuse.
	This will mean that anyone seen in public with an imitation firearm can be challenged and if they do not have a reasonable explanation for having the gun, they can be arrested before any further offences can be committed.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

BG Group

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library copies of the reports which were compiled by the secondee from BG Group to the British Embassy in Indonesia in 2001 on the strengthening of official organisations in that country.

Bill Rammell: I have today asked for this report to be placed in the Library of the House.

Brazil

Graham Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will seek an early meeting with the Government of President Lula of Brazil to discuss debt and environmental issues.

Bill Rammell: During my visit to Brazil from 14–18 December I discussed various issues, including the economy and environment, with Ministers-designate of President Lula's future Government. We hope to build on these discussions through a series of senior bilateral exchanges early this year. We have invited President Lula to make an early visit to the UK.

Cuba

Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions the Government has had with the Government of the USA on its policies on trade between UK companies and Cuba.

Bill Rammell: Our Embassy in Washington and Ministers and officials in the FCO and the Department of Trade and Industry frequently discuss a range of trade issues with their US counterparts. These include from time to time, trade with Cuba in the context of the US Helms-Burton legislation. The UK and the EU oppose this legislation because of its extraterritorial effect.

Diplomatic Staff

Alan Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the complement was of diplomatic staff in each of the Arabic-speaking capitals in the Middle East in each year since 1990; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: The table shows the number of UK-based staff in our Middle East posts from 1990. The figures include all those staff whose salaries are paid by the FCO and other Government Departments.
	
		
			 Country Post 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 
		
		
			 Syria Damascus 8 14 17 17 17 19 18 17 17 17 17 14 14 
			 Lebanon Beirut 6 6 7 6 7 7 7 7 8 8 8 9 8 
			 Jordan Amman 33 34 34 33 33 34 33 32 31 31 31 26 23 
			 Iraq Baghdad 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Saudi Arabia Riyadh 38 38 38 37 36 36 36 35 34 33 33 29 25 
			 Yemen Sana'a 8 8 8 8 9 8 7 8 9 9 9 8 8 
			 Oman Muscat 20 19 18 19 19 16 16 16 17 17 17 16 15 
			 UAE Abu Dhabi 19 19 18 18 17 18 18 18 18 18 18 15 13 
			 UAE Dubai 26 26 25 25 22 21 22 23 23 23 23 19 15 
			 Qatar Doha 10 10 9 9 9 9 10 10 10 10 10 11 11 
			 Kuwait Kuwait 23 23 22 22 20 19 19 19 19 19 19 17 16 
			 Bahrain Bahrain 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 12 13 
			 Egypt Cairo 39 37 37 37 36 34 32 34 34 35 32 37 32

Energy Supplies (Security)

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he intends to take to bolster the security of energy supplies.

Bill Rammell: Energy security is a key element of energy policy, security of energy supplies is one of the issues being looked at in the forthcoming Energy White Paper.

Government Payments

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what payments have been made to (a) Turkey, (b) Syria and (c) Jordan by the Government in each of the last three years; for what purpose; and if he will make a statement.

Jack Straw: Government funding for projects in the above countries for the last three years totals:
	
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 (a) Turkey 6,972,416 
			 (b) Syria 429,800 
			 (c) Jordan 21,078,129 
		
	
	We have made no direct financial payments to these Governments, rather we have provided services in the form of training, expertise and equipment. These figures are approximate and may not be exhaustive. A breakdown of expenditure is set out as follows:
	Breakdown of Expenditure
	(a) Turkey
	Funds: Purpose—to help Turkey meet the Copenhagen Political Criteria and to help Turkey address issues of importance to the UK. These include:
	EU Action Plan: past projects include funding the Ministry of the Interior's and Ministry of Education's participation in the British Council Seminar in the UK on 'Communicating Human Rights'.
	Human Rights Project Fund (HRPF): past projects include human rights training for
	the Jandarma in custody, detention and public order policing.
	Global Conflict Prevention Fund (GCPF): past projects include an anti-smuggling/customs course.
	Defence Assistance Fund (DAF): past projects include English language training for Turkish officers at the BMEC English Language School in Beaconsfield. The DAF may be used to defray the cost, in full or in part, of bilateral activities such as training activities which provide a direct defence benefit. The use of the fund is determined by the country priorities set out in the Defence Assistance Plan.
	Drugs and Crime Fund (DCF): past projects include customs training.
	(Other small funds include the Environmental programme budget and project fund)
	
		Turkey
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 EU Action Plan  
			 2000–01 n/a 
			 2001–02 149,454 
			 2002–03 (17)150,000  
			   
			 HRPF  
			 2000–01 306,333 
			 2001–02 311,409 
			 2002–03 167,708 
			   
			 DAF Allocation  
			 2000–01 571,000 
			 2001–02 608,000 
			 2002–03 356,000 
			   
			 GCPF  
			 2000–01 n/a  
			 2001–02 (18)156,640 
			 2002–03 (17)169,700 
			 DCF  
			 2000–01 108,515 
			 2001–02 672,690 
			 2002–03 (19)261,967 
		
	
	(17) Allocated
	(18) Spent
	(19) This does not include a UNDCP amount of £550,000 which may be allocated to Turkey projects.
	There is no Department for International Development (DfID) programme in Turkey however DfID did provide £1.5 million in humanitarian assistance in 1999–2000 following a major earthquake and £283,000 in 2000–01.
	(b) Syria
	Our Embassy in Damascus runs a DfID-funded Small Grants Scheme. The FCO runs small projects in Syria under the Global Conflict Prevention Fund. We also fund Chevening Scholarship and sponsored visits programmes.
	
		Syria
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 DfID  
			 1999–2000 119,000 
			 2000–01 75,000 
			 2001–02 80,000 
			   
			 GCPF (formerly ASSIST)  
			 1999–2000 18,880 
			 2000–01 50,000 
			 2001–02 27,000 
		
	
	Bilateral defence relations with Syria have improved. Over the past two years, the MOD has established a programme of assistance with the Syrians worth about £30,000 annually. This money is spent on funding Syrian candidates on courses such as English Language Training.
	(c) Jordan
	DfID's support to Jordan is set out in the table. This consists of debt relief, aid trade provision and technical assistance. The FCO funds small projects under the Global Conflict Prevention Fund. We also fund Chevening Scholarship, sponsored visits programmes and human rights projects.
	The MOD has an extensive bilateral programme of assistance with Jordan costing in the region of £400,000 annually. These funds are spent on providing course places to the Jordanian Armed Forces and in-country training. Their largest project to date with the Jordanians was the gifting of Challenger I Tanks, a project that began in August 1999 and is ongoing. This was a gift from the UK Government to the Jordanian Government, not a direct payment.
	
		Jordan
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 DfID  
			 1999–2000 6,310,000 
			 2000–01 6,298,000 
			 200–02 6,433,000 
			 GCPF (formerly ASSIST)  
			 1999–2000 190,031 
			 2000–01 220,000 
			 200–02 427,098 
		
	
	I will write the right hon. Member with more details and place a copy in the Library.

Heritage Assets

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what sales of heritage assets and antique assets have been made by his Department since May 1997; if he will list such assets; and if he will estimate the total sales proceeds.

Bill Rammell: The FCO holds very few heritage assets. We do however own many antiques and other valuable items that are used as working, operational, assets. The only such items that we have sold since 1997 have been: one antique carpet, one tea table, three armchairs, one sofa, one lectern, one bookcase, one dining table. The total sales proceeds after commission was £21,424.

Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms Convention

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to ratify protocol 13 of the European Convention on the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: The UK Government plan to ratify protocol 13 of the European Convention on the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms by June this year. The Lord Chancellor's Department handles the ratification process. The Protocol will come into force when 10 states have ratified it, at present there are only 5 ratifications.

Iraq

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the Government's policy is in respect of the 10 point agreement on cooperation on inspections agreed between Dr Blix on behalf of UNMOVIC and the Iraqi Government on 20 January.

Mike O'Brien: The 10 points in the joint statement made during Dr. Blix's visit to Baghdad last week do not constitute an agreement. They are simply a statement of practical arrangements. They do not add to or alter Iraq's obligations under UN Security Council Resolution 1441.
	The Government have repeatedly stated that it is essential that Iraq co-operate fully and unconditionally with the inspectors as they are required to do under UNSCR 1441.

Ministerial Travel

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his estimate is of the total expenditure by his Department on ministerial travel (a) in the UK and (b) abroad, in each year from 1995–96 to 2002–03 (estimated); and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given him by my hon. Friend the Minister of State at the Cabinet Office (Mr. Alexander) on 22 January 2003, Official Report, column 334W.

Pakistan

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the role of Pakistan in the proliferation of nuclear weapons.

Mike O'Brien: Pakistan's continued development and testing of nuclear weapons and the means for their delivery is a matter of concern to the entire international community.
	Pakistan's nuclear weapons programme is a breach of the requirements of UN Security Council Resolution 1172. We regularly call upon Pakistan to abide by all the requirements of the Resolution, including cessation of the development of nuclear weapons, and accession—as a non-nuclear weapons state—to both the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty.
	We are aware of, and concerned by, reports that Pakistan has nuclear related dealings with other countries.

Performance Report

Tony Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when his Department's autumn performance report for 2002 will be published.

Bill Rammell: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Arundel and South Downs (Mr Flight) on 21 January Official Report column 299W

Radioactive Contamination

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports his Department has received on radioactive contamination of floodwaters in Kyrgystan and Uzbekistan and the risks of such contamination within Afghanistan.

Mike O'Brien: We received reports about flooding and landslides in the Maili Su area of Kyrgyzstan in May 2002. There was some concern at the time that Soviet era uranium dumps and deposits could be disturbed, leading to contamination of Kyrgyz rivers. Though this did not happen, there remains some risk that radioactive waste could be disturbed by future landslides and earthquakes. If waste was to enter the Maili Su river, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, through which the river also flows, would be affected. We are not aware of reports suggesting that Afghanistan would be affected, but will continue to monitor the situation.

UN Resolution 1441

Tam Dalyell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions the Government have had with the US Administration on US compliance with Paragraph 10 of UN Resolution 1441.

Mike O'Brien: We regularly discuss with the US Administration all aspects of Iraq policy, including support for UNMOVIC/IAEA operations. Both the UK and the US are fully committed to supporting UN weapons inspections in Iraq.

Weapons of Mass Destruction

Tam Dalyell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish the parameters by which the Government defines whether a weapon falls into the category of weapons of mass destruction.

Mike O'Brien: There is no universally accepted definition of the phrase "weapons of mass destruction", but it is generally held to refer to nuclear, chemical and biological weapons.

Zimbabwe

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he has taken to secure international agreement for (a) a sporting boycott, (b) power sanctions and (c) wider economic sanctions against Zimbabwe; and what the value of imports from Zimbabwe to the United Kingdom was in the last 12 months.

Bill Rammell: The EU has put in place targeted sanctions including an arms embargo, a travel ban and assets freeze, specifically targeted at 79 members of the Mugabe regime. We have also made clear our views that the British cricket team should not play in Zimbabwe at present. However we do not believe that a general sporting boycott, power sanctions, or wider economic sanctions would be right. Such measures would only serve to harm the Zimbabwean people, who are already suffering enough under Mugabe's leadership. The latest yearly figure for imports from Zimbabwe to the UK is for 2001, when imports amounted to £91 million.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Donaghadee Treatment Works

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made on the development of the North Down Waste Water Treatment Works at Donaghadee; and whether the Under-Secretary of State, the hon. Member for Basildon (Angela Smith), has met the Donaghadee Planning Action Group in relation to this matter.

Angela Smith: The decision to locate the North Down Wastewater Treatment Works on the site adjacent to the Donaghadee Carpet Factory was taken in February 2002 by Peter Robinson MP MLA, the then Minister for Regional Development, following a detailed site search and appraisal process, and consideration and evaluation of all relevant factors.
	An application for Crown Development for the Works was made by Water Service on 14 May 2002. The application was accompanied by an Environmental Statement. Planning Service has consulted specialist advisers within Government and in the public sector on the application and the Environmental Statement. A number of responses are awaited. When these are received, Planning Service will assess the responses from consultees to ensure that they are satisfied with the content of the Environmental Statement. If further information is required, an addendum to the Environmental Statement will be necessary.
	The application and the Environmental Statement were advertised for public comment in accordance with the normal procedures. A substantial number of objections have been received, including the Donaghadee Planning Action Group. On completion of the consultation process associated with the planning application and the Environmental Statement, Planning Service will have to consider the further processing of the application, including the need for a public inquiry.
	In dealing with planning cases I have decided not to get involved in procedural and operational matters, and so have turned down meeting requests where applications are at these stages. However, I have met with members of the Donaghadee Sewerage Action Group to discuss issues relating to the selection process.
	In parallel with the planning issues, the Valuation and Lands Agency has been asked to commence initial land acquisition procedures for the site. The cost of the entire scheme has recently been assessed and is now estimated to be £42 million. The Works has been identified as one of seven major wastewater treatment projects that may be suitable for inclusion in a Public Private Partnership (PPP) programme of work. This programme is currently the subject of a detailed appraisal study that will take several months to complete.

Larne to Whitehead Railway Line

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what funding the railway line between Larne and Whitehead will receive from the Regional Transport Strategy 2002–12; and what funding will be available for upgrading this stretch of line in the future.

Angela Smith: The Regional Transportation Strategy (RTS) for Northern Ireland 2002–2012 identifies a range of strategic transportation investment priorities including funding of just over £500 million in railways over the next 10 years. It does not specify amounts to be invested in individual railway lines. Commitments to proceed with any major capital scheme will be subject to the normal Budgetary process, economic appraisal and the consideration of any statutory procedures. Furthermore, decisions on the retention of rail services north of Whitehead; and north and north-west of Ballymena, will also be subject to successful results from the introduction of new trains and improved infrastructure on the rest of the network early in the implementation of the Strategy.

Motorcycle Road Races

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made in providing further funds for circuit safety work at the North West 200 circuit and the Ulster Grand Prix Motorcycle circuits; and what discussions have taken place to identify (a) a schedule and (b) the cost of safety works at North West 200 and Ulster Grand Prix circuits.

Angela Smith: There has been ongoing discussions regarding the need for safety works at the North West 200 and Ulster Grand Prix circuits. Schedules detailing the extent and the cost of the work required were submitted to the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure on the 15 January and these are presently under consideration.

Motorcycle Road Races

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made with the proposal to permit motorcycle road racing clubs responsible for the North West 200 and the Ulster Grand Prix to access the Health and Safety funds created for sporting stadia in order to finance essential safety work at their respective circuits.

Angela Smith: The Sports Council for Northern Ireland will be drawing up proposals for a new programme which will take account of health and safety needs at sporting venues in the province. The new scheme will be subject to consultation prior to its introduction in 2003–04. The total cost is circa £90,000.

Museum of Sea and Sky

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps are required to take forward the MAGNI proposal for a museum of sea and sky at Titanic Quarter.

Angela Smith: MAGNI has set out clear stages for taking forward its proposed heritage development at Titanic Quarter. In order, these are: the establishment of a project team; the appointment of consultants; the development of an outline lottery bid; the raising of support among other bodies; and the development of a full lottery bid. MAGNI are about to embark on the last two of these stages, and these will be taken forward simultaneously.
	Obviously the future progression of the project will be dependent on the necessary financial resources being available.

Museum of Sea and Sky

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made by MAGNI in providing a museum of sea and sky at Titanic Quarter.

Angela Smith: MAGNI has prepared a plan setting out how the organisation proposes to take forward a heritage development at Titanic Quarter. It will major on the themes of sea and sky, but it will also cover the wider social history of the city of Belfast and the people of Northern Ireland.
	To date MAGNI has appointed consultants to assist in the preparation of an outline bid for lottery funding. This outline bid is due to be submitted shortly, and it should be followed up by a more substantial document in due course. My officials will continue to work closely with MAGNI in taking this project forward.

Soccer Strategy

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made in implementing the soccer strategy, with particular reference to obtaining agreement between the IFA and IFL on the section relating to governance.

Angela Smith: Encouraging progress has been towards the implementation of the recommendations contained in the Advisory Panel report "Creating a Soccer Strategy for Northern Ireland". It is understood that the Irish Football Association (IFA) agreed, at a meeting on 20 January, to merge with the Irish Football League to form a unified governing body for the sport as recommended by the Advisory Panel.
	The Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure is currently examining the Irish Football Association's development plan which sets out its proposals for the future governance of soccer in Northern Ireland, and for other aspects of the game.

Soccer Strategy

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if the sum of £8 million set aside by the Northern Ireland Executive in its budget proposals to finance the soccer strategy proposals is available to the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure for this purpose.

Angela Smith: Yes, but the allocation of funding to soccer is dependent upon the preparation of a development plan from the Irish Football Association that is acceptable to DCAL.

Ulster Hospital

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) surgical and (b) medical procedures were postponed at the Ulster Hospital in the last 12 months.

Des Browne: Information on numbers of (a) surgical and (b) medical procedures postponed or cancelled at the Ulster Community and Hospitals Trust, during the calendar year 2002 is detailed in the table:
	
		
			  Cancellations/postponements 
		
		
			 (a) Surgical  
			 General Surgery 1,237 
			 Paediatric Surgery 30 
			 T&O 40 
			 Maxillo-facial 73 
			 Plastic Surgery 347 
			 Gynaecology 504 
			 ENT 153 
			 Total 2,384 
			   
			 (b) Medical  
			 Care of the Elderly 7 
			 Pain Management 160 
			 Paediatric Medicine 12 
			 General Medicine 298 
			 Total 477

PRIVY COUNCIL

Third Reading Debates

Roger Gale: To ask the President of the Council if he will list, for each Bill passed by the House since June 1997, how many minutes were spent on third reading debate.

Robin Cook: The information requested is as follows:
	
		1997–98
		
			  Hours/minutes at third reading 
		
		
			 Finance (No. 2) Bill 3.30 
			 Greater London Authority (Referendum) Bill 3.30 
			 Road Traffic Reduction (National Targets) Bill 3.27 
			 Education (Schools) Bill 2.31 
			 Employment Rights (Dispute Resolution) Bill [Lords] 2.25 
			 Community Care (Residential Accommodation) Bill 2.22 
			 Scotland Bill 2.05 
			 Lloyds TSB Bill [Lords] 2.03 
			 Northern Ireland Bill 1.30 
			 Firearms (Amendment) Bill 1.27 
			 Public Interest Disclosure Bill [includes consideration] 1.25 
			 Public Processions (Northern Ireland) Bill [Lords] 1.19 
			 Finance Bill 1.08 
			 Crime and Disorder Bill [Lords] 0.51 
			 Human Rights Bill [Lords] 0.51 
			 Local Government Finance (Supplementary Credit Approvals) Bill 0.44 
			 Police (Northern Ireland) Bill 0.43 
			 Special Immigration Appeals Commission Bill [Lords] 0.38 
			 Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Bill [Lords] 0.37 
			 Local Government (Contracts) Bill 0.36 
			 Education (Student Loans) Bill 0.35 
			 National Lottery Bill [Lords] 0.33 
			 Bank of England Bill 0.29 
			 Tax Credits (Initial Expenditure) Bill 0.23 
			 Data Protection Bill [Lords] 0.19 
			 Nuclear Explosions (Prohibitions and Inspections) Bill [Lords] 0.18 
			 Landmines Bill 0.15 
			 Animal Health (Amendment) Bill 0.14 
			 Competition Bill [Lords] 0.14 
			 Registration of Political Parties 0.14 
			 Magistrates' Courts (Procedure) Bill [Lords] 0.13 
			 Supreme Court (Offices) Bill [Lords] 0.12 
			 National Health Service (Private Finance) Bill [Lords] 0.07 
			 Waste Minimisation Bill [includes consideration] 0.03 
		
	
	
		1998–99
		
			  Hours/minutes at third reading 
		
		
			 House of Lords Bill 4.25 
			 Criminal Cases Review (Insanity) Bill [Lords] 2.28 
			 Tax Credits Bill 1.58 
			 Sexual Offences (Amendment) Bill 1.41 
			 Finance Bill 1.20 
			 Disability Rights Commission Bill 1.18 
			 Road Traffic (NHS Charges) Bill 0.52 
			 Northern Ireland (Location of Victims' Remains) Bill 0.51 
			 Company and Business Names (Chamber of Commerce, etc.) Bill 0.48 
			 Access to Justice Bill [Lords] 0.47 
			 Pollution Prevention and Control Bill [Lords] 0.45 
			 Road Traffic (Vehicle Testing) Bill 0.45 
			 Northern Ireland Bill 0.41 
			 Scottish Enterprise Bill 0.37 
			 Commonwealth Development Corporation Bill [Lords] 0.34 
			 Rating (Valuation) Bill 0.29 
			 Protection of Children Bill 0.24 
			 Employment Relations Bill 0.23 
			 Mental Health (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill 0.23 
			 Breeding and Sale of Dogs (Welfare) Bill 0.20 
			 Social Security Contributions (Transfer of Functions, etc.) Bill 0.19 
			 Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Bill [Lords] 0.09 
			 Adoption (Intercountry Aspects) Bill 0.06 
			 Football (Offences and Disorder) Bill 0.06 
			 Water Industry Bill 0.01 
		
	
	
		1999–2000
		
			  Hours/minutes at third reading 
		
		
			 Licensing (Young Persons) Bill 3.02 
			 Disqualifications Bill 2.03 
			 Warm Homes and Energy Conservation Bill 1.20 
			 Government Resources and Accounts Bill 1.17 
			 Census (Amendment) Bill [Lords] 1.17 
			 Financial Services and Markets Bill 1.15 
			 Football (Disorder) Bill 1.14 
			 Northern Ireland Bill 1.08 
			 Countryside and Rights of Way Bill 1.05 
			 Police (Northern Ireland) Bill 1.03 
			 Finance Bill 1.01 
			 Sea Fishing (Grants) Charges Bill 1.00 
			 Postal Services Bill 0.58 
			 Fur Farming (Prohibition) Bill 0.52 
			 Carers and Disabled Children Bill 0.47 
			 Armed Forces Discipline Bill [Lords] 0.46 
			 London Local Authorities Bill [Lords] 0.41 
			 Race Relations (Amendment) Bill [Lords] 0.40 
			 Transport Bill 0.38 
			 Local Government Bill [Lords] 0.37 
			 Terrorism Bill 0.36 
			 Regulation of Investigatory Powers Bill 0.33 
			 Trustee Bill [Lords] 0.33 
			 Limited Liability Partnerships Bill [Lords] 0.31 
			 Representation of the People Bill 0.30 
			 Children (Leaving Care) Bill [Lords] 0.29 
			 Health Service Commissioners (Amendment) Bill 0.27 
			 Utilities Bill 0.19 
			 Freedom of Information Bill 0.18 
			 Protection of Animals (Amendment) Bill 0.16 
			 Child Support, Pensions and Social Security Bill 0.15 
			 Criminal Justice and Court Services Bill 0.15 
			 Criminal Justice (Mode of Trial) (No. 2) Bill 0.14 
			 Political Parties, Elections and Referendums 0.14 
			 Sexual Offences (Amendment) Bill 0.13 
			 Nuclear Safeguards Bill 0.12 
			 Electronic Communications Bill 0.11 
			 Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate Bill 0.10 
			 Learning and Skills Bill [Lords] 0.10 
			 Care Standards Bill [Lords] 0.07 
		
	
	
		2000–01
		
			  Hours/minutes at third reading 
		
		
			 Capital Allowances Bill 2.30 
			 House of Commons (Removal of Clergy Disqualifications) Bill 2.10 
			 Hunting Bill 1.32 
			 Kent County Council Bill [including consideration]; Medway Council Bill [including consideration] 1.30 
			 Criminal Justice and Police Bill 1.29 
			 Vehicles (Crime) Bill 1.16 
			 Homes Bill 0.58 
			 International Development Bill 0.57 
			 Special Educational Needs and Disability Bill [Lords] 0.57 
			 Regulatory Reform Bill [Lords] 0.55 
			 Social Security Contributions (Share Options) Bill 0.48 
			 Children's Commissioner for Wales Bill 0.45 
			 Private Security Industry Bill [Lords] 0.36 
			 Health and Social Care Bill 0.31 
			 Rating (Former Agricultural Premises and Rural Shops) Bill 0.21 
			 Social Security Fraud Bill 0.12 
			 Election Publications Bill [Lords] 0.11 
			 Human Fertilisation and Embryology (Deceased Fathers) Bill 0.06 
		
	
	
		2001–02
		
			  Hours/minutes at third reading 
		
		
			 European Communities (Amendment) Bill 6.46 
			 Marine Wildlife Conservation Bill 3.47 
			 Employee Share Schemes Bill 2.57 
			 Industrial and Provident Societies Bill 2.21 
			 Finance Bill 2.02 
			 Tobacco Advertising and Promotion Bill [Lords] 1.50 
			 Northern Ireland Arms Decommissioning (Amendment) Bill 1.47 
			 Adoption and Children Bill 1.46 
			 Proceeds of Crime Bill 1.30 
			 European Communities (Finance) Bill 1.30 
			 International Development Bill [Lords] 1.21 
			 Animal Health Bill 1.13 
			 Enterprise Bill 1.08 
			 Office of Communications Bill [Lords] 1.08 
			 Copyright (Visually Impaired Persons) Bill 1.02 
			 Justice (Northern Ireland) Bill 1.01 
			 State Pensions Credit Bill [Lords] 1.00 
			 Sex Discrimination (Election Candidates) Bill 0.52 
			 Employment Bill 0.58 
			 Immigrations, Nationality and Asylum Bill 0.58 
			 Homelessness Bill 0.50 
			 Police Reform Bill 0.50 
			 Tax Credits Bill 0.48 
			 Commonwealth Bill 0.47 
			 Football (Disorder) (Amendment) Bill 0.42 
			 British Overseas Territories Bill [Lords] 0.42 
			 Copyright, Etc. and Trade Marks (Offences and Enforcement) Bill 0.41 
			 Export Control Bill 0.36 
			 Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill [Lords] 0.34 
			 Education Bill 0.33 
			 Divorce (Religious Marriages) Bill 0.30 
			 Electoral Fraud (Northern Ireland) Bill 0.27 
			 Land Registration Bill 0.27 
			 Public Trustee (Liability and Fees) Bill [Lords] 0.27 
			 Travel Concessions (Eligibility) Bill [Lords] 0.24 
			 City of London (Ward Elections) Bill 0.23 
			 Civil Defence (Grant) Bill 0.18 
			 Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Bill 0.15 
			 National Health Service Reform and Health Care Professions Bill 0.15 
			 National Heritage Bill 0.12 
			 Private Hire Vehicles (Carriage of Guide Dogs etc.) Bill 0.06 
		
	
	
		2002–03
		
			  Hours/minutes at third reading 
		
		
			 Community Care (Delayed Discharges etc.) Bill 0.57 
			 Regional Assemblies (Preparations) Bill 0.36 
			 Health (Wales) Bill 0.23

PRIME MINISTER

Computer Misuse

Steve Webb: To ask the Prime Minister how many cases of computer misuse there were in his office in each of the last five years, broken down by each category of misuse; and how many of those cases resulted in disciplinary action.

Tony Blair: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Cabinet Office for today at column 722W.

Iraq

Llew Smith: To ask the Prime Minister what advice he has taken on the legal basis for an invasion of Iraq.

Tony Blair: It has been the longstanding policy of successive Governments not to disclose internal policy advice, including legal advice, under Part 2 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information. As I have repeatedly made clear, no decision has been made to take military action and military action is not inevitable.

Nuclear Weapons

Paul Marsden: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the line of command for the use of UK nuclear weapons.

Tony Blair: The use of the United Kingdom's nuclear weapons may be ordered only by the Prime Minister.

Spanish Visit

Mark Hoban: To ask the Prime Minister whether the cost of his visit to Spain on 5 September 2002 for the wedding of the daughter of the Prime Minister of Spain was met by the taxpayer.

Tony Blair: Yes, as has already been made clear I was invited in my position as a Head of Government.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Housing Allowance

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how he intends to consult stakeholders in housing allowance in pathfinder project areas; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  if he will publish the results of consultations carried out with stakeholders in housing allowance pathfinder project areas;
	(3)  at what points during the housing allowance pathfinder projects stakeholders will be consulted.

Malcolm Wicks: We will be working closely with pathfinder authorities to introduce the standard local housing allowance scheme and will ensure that local stakeholders including landlords, letting agents, and statutory and voluntary sector advisers, are consulted and made fully aware of the changes.
	It will be an important part of our evaluation strategy to consider the views of all local stakeholders as well as those of tenants affected by the scheme. Details of how this will be done have not yet been decided but we recognise the importance of consulting the full range of stakeholders at regular stages during the pilot. As usual, the results of the evaluation will be published.

Housing Benefit

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when the Government will respond to the Better Regulation Task Force on the recommendations in their report entitled 'Housing Benefit: a case study of lone parents' published in September 2001.

Malcolm Wicks: On 12 December 2001, we responded positively and in detail to the Better Regulation Task Force report "Housing Benefit: A Case Study of Lone Parents". A copy of our response is in the Library.
	On 17 October 2002, we announced a wide-ranging package of reforms for housing benefit (HB). The overall strategy for reforming HB is to improve administration, promote choice and responsibility, enhance work incentives and reduce levels of fraud and error in the system.

Married Women's Half-Test

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps were taken to publicise the abolition of the married women's half-test under the Social Security Act 1975.

Ian McCartney: holding answer 16 January 2003
	Affected women were identified by a trawl of the NIRS database and invited to claim. In addition, there was a publicity campaign aimed at finding those women who did not receive an invitation to claim for whatever reason.

Pension Credit

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether pensioners' earnings will be eligible for the pension credit; and if he will make a statement.

Ian McCartney: Currently around half a million pensioners aged 65 or over work. The earnings of pensioners aged 65 or over will be rewardable in the savings credit. The existing earnings disregards of £5, £10 and £20 that apply in the Minimum Income Guarantee will also apply in Pension Credit. The remunerative work rule that excludes from Minimum Income Guarantee pensioners who work 16 hours a week or more (24 hours for couples) will be abolished for Pension Credit.
	For example, a pensioner receiving retirement pension of £77.45 and earning £35 per week would get nothing under the present MIG scheme. However, under Pension Credit, he would be £12.65 better off a week, or almost £658 per year.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Career Development Loans

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many career development loans have been allocated since 1998; how many applications have been refused since 1998; what the total sum issued since 1998 has been; how much remains outstanding; how much has been recovered via debt agencies and court orders; how much has been defaulted; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: Career Development Loans (CDLs) are deferred repayment commercial bank loans designed to help individuals, who may not otherwise be able to afford or have access to funds to pay for vocational education and learning. The DfES operates the programme in partnership with three high street banks and pays the interest on the loan for the period of training covered by the CDL. For the period 1 January 1998 to 31 December 2002, 79,641 loans have been taken out with a value of £316 million. As at 31 December 2002, £94 million remained outstanding for payment of interest by the Department and this value will continue to reduce over time. The amount that has been defaulted is £24 million and £2.6 million has been recovered so far. This reflects a net default rate of 7 per cent. compared to the 15 per cent. maximum operating limit agreed with the banks to cover the higher level of risk they take in making these particular loans. The exact number of applications refused by the banks is not known. The refusal rate varies between the banks, but the overall rate is around 25 per cent. of applications received.

Child Care

Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether premiums will be available on education maintenance allowances to help single parents to access child care.

Margaret Hodge: The national Education Maintenance Allowance will be designed to cover the day-to-day expenses associated with participating in further education, such as the cost of books and equipment, and to help towards the cost of transport to and from a learning centre. Additional funding, via the Learner Support Fund, will be available for students facing particular needs or costs that threaten their access to, or completion of, further education courses. This will include help with the costs of child care.
	Under the Learner Support Fund, up to £4,000 per annum is available according to the costs of the child care and the young parent's financial circumstances. The maximum amount available will increase to £5,000 per annum from September 2003 to provide for the higher costs prevailing in some areas.

Computer Misuse

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many cases of computer misuse there were in his Department in each of the last five years, broken down by each category of misuse; and how many of those cases resulted in disciplinary action.

Charles Clarke: The numbers of computer misuse incidents within the Department for Education and Skills is as follows.
	
		
			 Year Number of cases Type of Misuse Action 
		
		
			 1998 10 Serious inappropriate internet access Disciplinary Action 
			  2 Serious Email abuse Disciplinary Action 
			 1999 45 Serious inappropriate internet action Disciplinary Action 
			  6 Inappropriate internet access Informal Warning 
			 2000 42 Serious inappropriate access Disciplinary Action 
			  14 Inappropriate internet access Informal Action 
			 2001 14 Serious inappropriate internet access Disciplinary Action 
			  84 Serious inappropriate internet action Informal Warning 
			 2002 8 Serious inappropriate internet access Disciplinary Action 
			  38 Inappropriate internet access Informal Warning 
		
	
	The Department for Education and Skills allows personal use of the Internet and email outside normal hours. Staff are warned that internet accesses may be monitored and misuse may lead to disciplinary action. Staff are reminded of the policy each time they log on to the Department network and must accept the policy before log in can be completed.

Excellence in Cities

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many schools have been de-designated from the excellence in cities programme since its inception; and how many schools remain in the programme.

David Miliband: There is no de-designation process, although the number of schools varies as new schools are established and others are closed or amalgamated. Our latest figures show that there are 2,370 schools in excellence in cities of which 1,000 are secondary schools.

Higher Education (Family Incomes)

Paul Farrelly: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  how many UK students have qualified for (a) full exemption, (b) part exemption and (c) no exemption from tuition fees in (i) England, (ii) Wales and (iii) Northern Ireland in each academic year from 1998 onwards;
	(2)  what reports he has received about the number of students who have qualified for (a) full exemption, (b) part exemption and (c) no exemption from tuition fees in Scotland in each academic year from 1998 until 2001.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 20 January 2003
	In England and Wales students on undergraduate courses and their families are expected to make a contribution towards the cost of their tuition only if they can afford to do so.
	The number of students in academic years 1998–99, 1999–2000 and 2000–01 (latest year for which data are available) who have been assessed to make a full, partial or nil contribution towards the cost of their tuition are:
	
		All students(20) -- Thousand
		
			  Number of students  
			 Academic year England Wales 
		
		
			 1998/99(21)   
			 Full student/parent/spouse/partner contribution 79.8 4.5 
			 Partial student/parent/spouse/partner contribution 45.5 3.4 
			 Nil student/parent/spouse /partner contribution(26) 101.3 6.9 
			 1999–2000(21)   
			 Full student/parent/spouse/partner contribution 155.9 10.8 
			 Partial student/parent/spouse/partner contribution 87.9 8.2 
			 Nil student/parent/spouse /partner contribution(26) 201.7 14.4 
			
			 2000–01(21),(22)   
			 Full student/parent/spouse/partner contribution 253.4 (23)n/a 
			 Partial student/parent/spouse/partner contribution 121.3 (23)n/a 
			 Nil student/parent/spouse /partner contribution(26) 267.5 (23)n/a 
		
	
	The devolved Administrations for Scotland and Northern Ireland are responsible for the administration of tuition fees in their countries.

Learning and Skills Council

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what evidence he has collated of software problems in the Learning and Skills Council's funding arrangements for colleges; and what action the Department and the council are taking to eliminate such problems.

Margaret Hodge: I am aware of the difficulties encountered by some colleges in accessing the Learning and Skills Council's learner information suite which have resulted in some colleges being unable to forecast accurately their expected income. I have expressed my concerns to John Harwood, the council's chief executive. The LSC are committed to providing a high quality service to colleges and we expect the council's systems to be corrected and fully functional at the end of this month.

Learning Difficulties (School Sport)

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of primary movement exercise programmes;
	(2)  what the Government's policy is on the use of primary movement exercise programmes to alleviate learning difficulties.

David Miliband: Physical Education (PE) remains a compulsory subject within the National Curriculum at all Key Stages. At Key Stages 1 and 2 its emphasis is on learning and developing basic movement skills and actions. The Ofsted Primary Subject Report on Physical Education—published in July 2002—indicated that at primary level
	"pupils' achievement is at least satisfactory in all but one school in 20 in both Key Stages 1 and 2".
	A joint Department for Education and Skills and Department for Culture, Media and Sport public service agreement target, announced on 15 July 2002, seeks to enhance the take up of sporting opportunities by 5 to 16-year-olds by increasing the percentage of schoolchildren who spend a minimum of two hours each week on high quality PE and school sport within and beyond the curriculum to 75 per cent. by 2006. Spearheading action will be the significant expansion of the specialist sports college and school sport co-ordinator partnership programmes.
	The strategy has an inclusive ethos and is designed to be flexible enough to allow children with learning difficulties—whether in a mainstream school or other—to be taught through a variety of methods which could include a primary movement exercise programme if a school decided that was the most suitable option.

London Institute

Nigel Beard: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much public money has been given to the London Institute; and how the use of this money has been accounted for in each year since the foundation of the Institute.

Margaret Hodge: The following table shows the total income and the amount received from funding council grants for the London Institute each year since 1994–95.
	
		£million 
		
			 London Institute Total income Funding Council grant income(20) 
		
		
			 1994–95 57,728 38,020 
			 1995–96 60,619 38,159 
			 1996–97 64,954 37,439 
			 1997–98 69,446 38,389 
			 1998–99 71,968 42,041 
			 1999–2000 78,075 44,073 
			 2000–01 83,474 45,593 
		
	
	(20) The funding council grant includes funding from the Higher Education Funding Council for England, and from the funding bodies for further education in England.
	Source:
	Table 1, HESA annual publication "Resources of Higher Education Institutions".
	There is a financial memorandum between each institution and each of the funding councils from which they receive public funding. This sets out the responsibilities of each party including financial management and the arrangements for audit and monitoring.

Post-16 Education

Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills by what percentage the pilot schemes suggest education maintenance allowances will improve progression rates into post sixteen education in deprived areas.

Margaret Hodge: The EMA pilot scheme has been subject to a rigorous and thorough evaluation study. The latest report was published on 3 July 2002.
	The evaluation of the pilot scheme includes 10 of the original EMA pilot LEAs which are among the most deprived in England. Evidence from the evaluation indicates that within the group of young people eligible for EMA, participation in education in Y12 has increased by 5.9 percentage points. For the cohort of young people in these LEAs as a whole, this is equivalent to a participation gain of 3.7 percentage points.
	In Year 13, due to an EMA induced improvement in retention, the gain in participation increases further to just over 7 percentage points among eligible young people which is equivalent to just over 4 percentage points for the cohort as a whole.

Post-16 Education

Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the Government's policy is on diversity of supply in post-16 education.

Margaret Hodge: We are committed to ensuring that high quality post-16 education and training is available to meet the full range of learner, employer and community needs. In some areas this will require greater diversity in the supply of provision.
	Following the publication of our strategy for reforming further education and training—'Success for All' in November 2002, we have asked each provider to set out their unique educational mission focusing on what they do best. Our strategy also identifies the need, where appropriate, for more discrete provision to meet the distinctive needs of 16 to 19-year-olds.
	Alongside this, we have asked the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) to undertake strategic area reviews to ensure the best mix of provision is supplied in each part of the country. These reviews will be undertaken locally in partnership with further education colleges and local education authorities and in consultation with a wide range of employer, learner, community and provider interests in each area.
	The combination of unique provider missions and strategic area reviews will lead to greater diversity in post-16 education and training, to ensure improved choice, opportunity and success for all.

Schools (Shropshire)

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many teachers were employed in schools in (a) Shropshire and (b) Shrewsbury and Atcham in each year since 1997.

David Miliband: The tables provide the full-time equivalent (FTE) number of teachers as at January of each year. Shropshire was affected by local government re-organisation in April 1998.
	
		(a) Teachers in Shropshire
		
			  1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 
		
		
			 All regular teachers FTE(21)   
			 Former Shropshire 3,330 3,350 N/a N/A N/A N/A 
			 Shropshire post April 1998 N/a N/a 1,940 2,050 2,110 2,140 
			 Telford and Wrekin N/a N/a 1,360 1,340 1,410 1,420 
		
	
	(21) The information for Shropshire is taken from the Annual Survey of Teachers in Service, an LEA level survey. The figures cover all regular teachers employed in the maintained schools sector (nursery, primary, secondary, special and PRUs) by the local authority, including centrally employed teachers. Teachers on paid absence are included, together with any replacements on contracts of one month or more. Includes teachers with and without qualified teacher status.
	Note:
	N/a = not applicable
	All figures are rounded to the nearest 10.
	
		(b) Teachers in Shrewsbury and Atcham
		
			  1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 
		
		
			 Teachers in schools FTE(22)   
			 Shrewsbury and Atcham 630 630 630 640 650 660 
		
	
	(22) The information for Shrewsbury and Atcham constituency is from the Annual Schools' Census and includes the normal complement of teachers in maintained nursery, primary, secondary, special schools and PRUs. Includes teachers with and without qualified teacher status and foreign language assistants.
	Note:
	All figures are rounded to the nearest 10.

Schools (Shropshire)

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will list building improvement projects and their value in each school in Shrewsbury and Atcham in each year since 2001.

David Miliband: We do not hold information in the form requested. Most capital funding available for building improvements in schools is allocated to local education authorities and schools by needs-related formulae. It is for local education authorities and schools to decide how their capital allocations are invested and prioritised between projects, in line with locally agreed asset management plans.

Special Educational Needs

Stephen Ladyman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what training Ofsted inspectors have received in respect of duties imposed on schools by the Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001.

David Miliband: The training undertaken by school inspectors is a matter for Ofsted. HM Chief Inspector David Bell will write to my hon. Friend and a copy of his letter will be placed in the House of Commons Library.

Specialist Status Schools

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills of the schools that have lost specialist status since 1996, how many were (a) arts, (b) business and enterprise, (c) engineering, (d) languages, (e) maths and computing, (f) science, (g) sports and (h) technology.

David Miliband: There have been 33 specialist schools which have lost their specialist status since 1996. Of these schools, 32 were technology colleges and one was a language college.

Student Funding

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether bankruptcy discharges liability to repay student loans; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: Bankruptcy discharges liability to repay student loans where the loan was taken out before the commencement of bankruptcy.

Student Funding

Paul Farrelly: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  how many UK students have qualified for the income-dependent element of student loans in (a) England, (b) Wales and (c) Northern Ireland in each academic year since 1998;
	(2)  what reports he has received on the number of students in Scotland who have qualified for (a) the full amount, (b) a proportion and (c) no part of the income-dependent element of student loans in each academic year since 1998.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 20 January 2003
	For the first year of the new student support arrangements, academic year 1998–99, eligible new entrants domiciled in England and Wales received support for living costs through both grants and loans. Grants, which were assessed against family income, on average formed about a quarter of the support available. All students were entitled to a non income-assessed loan which comprised the remaining three quarters of support available.
	New entrants to higher education from 1999–2000, together with those who started in 1998–99, receive support for living costs through loans which are partly income assessed.
	The number of students in academic years 1999–2000 and 2000–01 (latest year for which data is available) who are eligible for the full income-assessed element of the loan and those who receive some of the income-assessed element of the loan are:
	
		All students(23),(24),(25) -- Thousand
		
			 Academic year Students eligible for the full income-assessed element of the loan Students eligible for part of the income-assessed element of the loan 
		
		
			 1999–2000   
			 England 295.1 48.9 
			 Wales 21.4 3.9 
			
			 2000–01(26),(27)   
			 England 348.3 80.0 
			 Wales(26) (26)— (26)— 
		
	
	(23) The amount of student loan available is assessed by local education authorities in England and Wales for students who are normally domiciled in their area and studying in the UK.
	(24) Includes students in receipt of loans for extra weeks of study.
	(25) Excludes students in receipt of the reduced rate of loan as these are not subject to income-assessment.
	(26) In academic year 2000–01 data are not available separately for Wales due to a low response rate to the survey. Data are provisional.
	(27) The apparent rise in student numbers over the two years is accounted for by the introduction of income-assessed student loans in 1999–2000 for those starting their courses that year or academic year 1998–99—so two cohorts were included in the first year but three in 2000–01.
	Source:
	F503G student support survey of LEAs in England and Wales
	The devolved Administrations for Scotland and Northern Ireland are responsible for their own administration of student loans.

Student Funding

Paul Farrelly: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what reports he has received about the number of students in Scotland who have qualified for (a) the full amount, (b) a proportion and (c) no part of the young students' bursary in each academic year since its introduction.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 20 January 2003
	My right hon. Friend does not hold information on Scottish issues. This is a matter for the Scottish Parliament.

Student Funding

Paul Farrelly: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many UK students in (a) England, (b) Wales, (c) Northern Ireland and (d) Scotland qualified for (i) the full amount, (ii) a proportion and (iii) no part of student maintenance grants in each academic year from 1990 to 1998.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 20 January 2003
	The support arrangements under the mandatory awards scheme for eligible undergraduate students domiciled in England and Wales on courses which began before 1 September 1998 consisted of payment, usually in full, of their tuition fees, a grant towards their maintenance, depending on income, and a non-income assessed loan. New students in academic year 1998–99, were expected to contribute up to £1,000 a year towards the cost of their tuition depending on family income. In 1998–99, income-assessed grants on average only formed about a quarter of the support available and all students were entitled to a non income-assessed loan which comprised the remaining three quarters of support available and which will be repayable on an income contingent basis.
	In addition to the basic maintenance grant disabled students, students with dependants and lone parent students could also apply for various supplementary grants and allowances, the majority of which were income-assessed.
	The number of students in academic years 1990–91 to 1998–99 who have been assessed for a full, partial or nil contribution to their maintenance are shown in the table.
	The devolved Administrations for Northern Ireland and Scotland are responsible for the administration of their own student support.
	
		Maintenance awards Status of student: academic years 1990–91 to 1998–99 —England and Wales(28) -- Thousand
		
			  Mandatory scheme students(29) 
			  1990–91 1991–92(30) 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 
		
		
			 England 
			 Students with: 
			 Full maintenance grants 165.8 — 257.8 301.2 324.0 328.8 321.9 317.3 
			 Partial maintenance grants 169.9 — 205.7 224.2 225.0 218.6 205.8 203.4 
			 Nil maintenance grants(31) 117.1 — 147.3 154.8 168.4 179.2 194.0 205.6 
			 All students(32) 452.8 — 610.8 680.2 717.4 726.6 721.7 726.3 
			  
			 Wales 
			 Students with: 
			 Full maintenance grants 11.9 — 17.3 19.4 20.3 20.8 21.0 20.2 
			 Partial maintenance grants 12.9 — 15.1 15.8 16.3 15.2 14.1 14.0 
			 Nil maintenance grants(31) 5.2 — 6.4 6.2 7.1 8.2 8.2 9.2 
			 All students(32) 30.0 — 38.8 41.4 43.7 44.2 43.3 43.4 
		
	
	
		
			  1998–99(31)  
			  Mandatory scheme students(29) Student support scheme students(29),(31) All students 
		
		
			 England
			 Students with:
			 Full maintenance grants 198.2 118.9 317.1 
			 Partial maintenance grants 139.0 43.0 182.1 
			 Nil maintenance grants(31) 150.0 64.7 214.7 
			 All students(32) 487.2 226.7 713.9 
			 
			 Wales
			 Students with:
			 Full maintenance grants 12.7 8.7 21.4 
			 Partial maintenance grants 9.3 2.5 11.8 
			 Nil maintenance grants(31) 6.8 3.6 10.4 
			 All students(32) 28.8 14.8 43.6 
		
	
	(28) The table shows awards made by local education authorities in England and Wales to students normally domiciled in their area. The table excludes placement year sandwich students who do not normally receive maintenance support in their placement year.
	(29) Up to and including academic year 1998–99 eligible students in England and Wales received support through income-assessed grants and a non income-assessed student loan. For new students in 1998–99, the proportion of grant and loan was approximately 25 per cent. and 75 per cent.
	(30) Separate data for academic year 1991–92 are not available; combined England and Wales totals show 212.1 thousand students with full maintenance grants, 199.1 thousand students with partial maintenance grants and, 135.2 thousand students with a nil maintenance grant. These figures do not include data in respect of the London Residuary Body estimated to be 8,600 mandatory awards; an accurate breakdown of this figure is not available.
	(31) Data in 1998–99 include an estimated 15,000 students support scheme students in England and Wales who, because they did not expect to receive a contribution to their support from public funds, did not make an application to their local authority.
	(32) Totals may not add through due to roundings.
	Source
	F503G survey of local education authorities on student support

Technical Craft Skills

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make it his policy to ensure that technical craft skills for trades are available to young people in south-east Essex.

Ivan Lewis: The Government and the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) are wholly committed to Modern Apprenticeships (MA) as a quality work-based learning route to craft, supervisory and technician skills for young people in England. We have adopted a challenging Public Service Agreement (PSA) target for MA entrants by 2004—28 per cent. of young people to begin an MA by the age of 22. MA is one of the wide range of specialist pathways that will be available to young people under a transformed 14–19 phase of learning.
	The Chancellor, the Secretary of State for Education and Skills and the Chairman of the Learning and Skills Council have announced a new Modern Apprenticeship Task Force which will take a key role in promoting MA to employers and thereby contributing to increased take-up—in south-east Essex and elsewhere.
	All parties involved in the initiative are working together to increase the take-up of MA. The LSC in England works through its 47 local offices (one of which covers Essex) and with key partners to identify and meet local skills needs by promoting and funding the delivery of work-based learning programmes, including MA and college-based provision. Connexions Partnerships are delivering improved advice and guidance to young people on the opportunities available in their communities. New and developing Sector Skills Councils also play a key role by supporting promotion to employers in their sectors.
	In addition, the Government will be publishing a national skills strategy in June, setting out how we will further boost numbers of young people acquiring technical and craft skills across the economy.

Training

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much the Learning and Skills Council spent on training allowances for young people in 2001–02.

Margaret Hodge: This is a matter for the Learning and Skills Council. John Harwood, the council's chief executive will write to the hon. Member with the information requested and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Libraries.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Housing (Coventry)

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many homes were owned by the council in Coventry in each of the last five years.

Tony McNulty: Local authorities report their number of council homes as at 1 April on their annual Housing Investment Programme (HIP) returns. Based on Coventry City Council's recent returns the reported numbers of council homes were:
	
		
			 As at 1 April Number 
		
		
			 1998 20,359 
			 1999 20,175 
			 2000 19,886 
		
	
	The Council ceased to have any council housing in September 2000, following the transfer of the council stock under the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's Large Scale Voluntary Transfer Programme (LSVT) to new Registered Social Landlords—Whitefriars North and Whitefriars South, within the Whitefriars Housing Group.

Housing (Coventry)

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the level of housing need has been in Coventry in each of the last five years.

Tony McNulty: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given on 7 January 2003, Official Report, column 115W. Local authorities in England report the numbers of households on their housing register (excluding tenants awaiting transfers) as at 1 April in their annual Housing Investment Programme (HIP) returns. Based on Coventry City Council's recent returns the reported numbers in the last five years are:
	
		
			 As at 1 April Number 
		
		
			 1998 7,767 
			 1999 8,915 
			 2000 8,458 
			 2001 6,295 
			 2002 7,104

Council Housing

Bob Russell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many council dwellings were sold in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.

Tony McNulty: Information on total numbers of sales and transfers of local authority and New Town dwellings in England since 1992–93 is in the table.
	
		
			  All owner/occupier sales (including right to buy) Transfers to registered social landlords/other 
		
		
			 1992–93 42,289 27,289 
			 1993–94 50,510 33,643 
			 1994–95 46,236 41,120 
			 1995–96 33,165 45,900 
			 1996–97 35,206 22,534 
			 1997–98 42,078 35,701 
			 1998–99 41,087 76,543 
			 1999–2000 54,957 96,755 
			 2000–01 53,005 132,462 
			 2001–02(33) 52,459 35,687 
		
	
	(33) Provisional
	Source:
	DOE/DETR/DTLR/ODPM Housing Activity return P1B/New Town returns

Council Housing

Bob Russell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many council dwellings were built in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.

Tony McNulty: The numbers of local authority dwellings built in England in each of the last 10 years is in the following table. The numbers have declined as social housing has increasingly been delivered by Registered Social Landlords.
	
		
			 Year Number of local authority dwellings built 
		
		
			 1992–93 2,579 
			 1993–94 1,451 
			 1994–95 853 
			 1995–96 757 
			 1996–97 451 
			 1997–98 323 
			 1998–99 194 
			 1999–2000 102 
			 2000–01 389 
			 2001–02 105

Crossrail

Edward Davey: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he will announce his decision on the revision of Crossrail safeguarding directions to prevent inappropriate development; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: I have been asked to reply.
	Cross London Rail Links Limited have been asked to put to Ministers in February advice on route options and a worked-up business case for Crossrail. Current safeguarding directions will be reviewed as and when a route may be determined.

East Riding of Yorkshire Council

David Davis: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he will announce the level of funding to the East Riding of Yorkshire Council for nursery school places for the next financial year.

Nick Raynsford: Funding for nursery school places will be within local government formula grant from 2003–04. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will announce our final proposals for the 2003–04 local government finance settlement on Monday 3 February; the House will have the chance to debate these on Wednesday 5 February. It will, of course, be for the authority to decide what allocation to make to specific services.

Green Belt Land

John Wilkinson: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will introduce measures to prevent the speculative purchase of agricultural land in designated green belt, its sub-division into building plots and sale on the basis of an anticipated relaxation of planning controls.

Tony McNulty: The Government reaffirmed their commitment to the protection and enhancement of the Green Belt in my righ. hon. Friend, the Deputy Prime Minister's statement on Sustainable Communities, Housing and Planning in the House of Commons on 18 July 2002, Official Report, column 438 Since 1997 over 30,000 hectares have been added to the Green Belt, or earmarked for addition.
	However, it is not generally the role of the planning system to place control on land ownership.

Housing (Rural Areas)

Andrew George: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the average turnaround time was for unused housing stock in (a) England and (b) local authorities, defined as rural, by region, in each year since 1978.

Tony McNulty: Local authorities in England have been asked to provide estimates of the average time taken to re-let their housing stock on their annual Housing Investment Programme (HIP) returns since 1994. Because of variations in the way local authorities maintain lettings records and compile these estimates, the figures quoted, and any comparisons between authorities, should be treated with caution. Comparable information in respect of re-lettings by registered social landlords is only available from 1996–97.
	
		Average re-let times for local authority dwellings (days)
		
			  2001–02 2000–01 1999–2000 1998–99 1997–98 1996–97 1995–96 1994–95 1993–94 
		
		
			 North East 
			 All LAs 60 50 54 40 32 30 26 29 33 
			 Rural LAs 67 62 41 35 40 33 32 31 33 
			  
			 North West 
			 All LAs 54 49 46 40 41 39 38 35 34 
			 Rural LAs 48 51 45 40 40 39 36 33 29 
			  
			 Yorkshire and Humberside 
			 All LAs 65 58 51 43 38 39 36 35 37 
			 Rural LAs 54 52 53 47 39 28 20 19 31 
			  
			 East Midlands 
			 All LAs 45 41 40 38 38 34 36 35 38 
			 Rural LAs 34 31 36 37 38 33 29 27 27 
			  
			 West Midlands 
			 All LAs 49 55 51 49 43 35 37 35 36 
			 Rural LAs 33 12 39 32 33 23 26 23 25 
			  
			 East of England 
			 All LAs 36 38 40 36 37 38 37 33 36 
			 Rural LAs 38 28 34 25 29 31 27 27 25 
			  
			 London 
			 All LAs 44 47 51 55 55 71 70 68 72 
			 Rural LAs n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			  
			 South East 
			 All LAs 39 36 37 34 36 38 36 32 32 
			 Rural LAs 37 37 32 33 37 35 35 33 31 
			 South West 
			 All LAs 36 29 28 20 23 28 26 25 30 
			 Rural LAs 25 22 22 19 24 24 22 22 21 
			  
			 England 
			 All LAs 50 47 45 41 40 41 40 39 41 
			 Rural LAs 44 39 40 33 35 31 29 28 27 
		
	
	n/a = not applicable, figures to the nearest day.
	Source:
	DOE/DETR/DTLR/ODPM annual Housing Investment Programme (HIP) returns.
	
		Average re-let times for registered social landlord dwellings (days)
		
			  2001–02 2000–01 1999–2000 1998–99 1997–98 1996–97 
		
		
			 North East 
			 All LAs 33 41 41 40 40 33 
			 Rural LAs 33 41 45 39 35 29 
			  
			 North West 
			 All LAs 52 53 41 36 34 30 
			 Rural LAs 44 41 38 29 27 22 
			  
			 Yorkshire and Humberside 
			 All LAs 34 37 37 38 35 26 
			 Rural LAs 22 22 22 27 19 14 
			  
			 East Midlands 
			 All LAs 39 43 39 36 33 29 
			 Rural LAs 38 40 33 29 24 20 
			  
			 West Midlands 
			 All LAs 30 37 31 31 31 27 
			 Rural LAs 30 32 25 26 25 20 
			  
			 East of England 
			 All LAs 26 28 29 26 28 24 
			 Rural LAs 21 24 23 21 21 21 
			  
			 London 
			 All LAs 36 37 40 40 40 41 
			 Rural LAs n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			  
			 South East 
			 All LAs 27 29 29 29 31 28 
			 Rural LAs 24 27 27 27 28 26 
			  
			 South West 
			 All LAs 29 32 32 27 24 21 
			 Rural LAs 23 24 27 24 21 16 
			  
			 England 
			 All LAs 36 38 35 33 33 29 
			 Rural LAs 29 30 29 26 24 21 
		
	
	n/a = not applicable, figures to the nearest day.
	Source:
	Housing Corporation's continuous CORE survey data.

Housing Waiting Lists

Martin Linton: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many people were on housing waiting lists in each London borough at the latest date for which figures are available.

Tony McNulty: Local authorities in England report the numbers of households on their housing register (excluding tenants awaiting a transfer) as at 1 April in their annual Housing Investment Programme returns. The latest reported information, for 2002, is as follows:
	
		Households on the housing register of London boroughs as at 1 April 2002
		
			 London Borough Number 
		
		
			 Barking and Dagenham 2,668 
			 Barnet 7,030 
			 Bexley 3,487 
			 Brent 14,746 
			 Bromley 3,592 
			 Camden 8,147 
			 City of London 623 
			 Croydon 6,890 
			 Ealing 8,289 
			 Enfield 7,264 
			 Greenwich 6,876 
			 Hackney 8,930 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 6,044 
			 Haringey 12,585 
			 Harrow 3,992 
			 Havering 1,888 
			 Hillingdon 6,041 
			 Hounslow 6,369 
			 Islington 8,161 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 8,294 
			 Kingston upon Thames 3,971 
			 Lambeth 14,228 
			 Lewisham 15,368 
			 Merton 4,361 
			 Newham 13,942 
			 Redbridge 5,671 
			 Richmond upon Thames 3,763 
			 Southwark 6,164 
			 Sutton 1,653 
			 Tower Hamlets 7,837 
			 Waltham Forest 10,283 
			 Wandsworth 3,923 
			 Westminster 3,709 
		
	
	Note:
	Local authorities have different practices for compiling and managing housing register/waiting lists, which means that direct comparisons between authorities can be misleading.
	Source
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister Housing Investment Programme (HIP) annual returns.

Local Government Finance

Teddy Taylor: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the average percentage rise in the government grant to police authorities is for the forthcoming financial year; and what the percentage increase was for the Essex police force.

John Denham: holding answer 20 January 2003
	I have been asked to reply.
	The average percentage increase in general policing grants to police authorities in England and Wales for 2003–04 is 4.3 per cent.
	Essex police authority will receive a 3 per cent. increase in general grants. The authority will also receive £0.5 million from the Rural Policing Fund and £5.79 million from the Crime Fighting Fund, taking the overall increase to 3.5 per cent. Essex will also receive £2.33 million for the Airwave communication system.

Local Government Finance

Eric Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make allowance for inaccuracies in the 2001 census count when considering the grant allocation for 2004–05; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Raynsford: It is the policy of the Deputy Prime Minister to use consistent data for all authorities in the calculation of formula grant. For population estimates, this means the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will be using the Registrar General's mid-year population estimates, as derived from the 2001 census and published by the Office for National Statistics. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) are confident that the approach taken for the 2001 census provides the most accurate estimates of the population both nationally and for each of the 376 local authorities in England and Wales. ONS are not anticipating making changes to their figures, but if this should occur the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will consider what impact these may have on the Local Government Finance Settlement. The floors provided for under the Local Government Settlement ensure that no authority receives an increase in grant less than inflation in 2003–04 irrespective of reductions in the estimated resident population of that authority in the 2001 census.

Local Government Finance (Westminster)

Eric Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make it his policy to use alternative data sources to the 2001 census to calculate Westminster City Council's (a) grant settlement for 2003–04 and (b) future grant settlements; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Raynsford: It is the policy of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister to use consistent data for all authorities in the calculation of formula grant; consequently the same data source will be used for Westminster as for all authorities. For population estimates, this means the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will be using the Registrar General's mid-year population estimates (as published by the Office for National Statistics). For the 2003–04 Local Government Finance Settlement these will be the 2001 estimates that are based on the 2001 census. For future years the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister intends to use the latest available mid-year estimates.

Occupational Stress

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the (a) prevalence and (b) causes of occupational stress among local government officers.

Christopher Leslie: Decisions on specific health issues like occupational stress are a matter for individual local authority employers and detailed information about causes and prevalence is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, as part of the Review of Ill-Health Retirement in the Public Sector, there continues to be close collaboration with the Employers' Organisation for Local Government and the Association of Local Authority Medical Advisers in the preparation of a Management of Ill-Health Retirement handbook published in September 2002. This includes a chapter on the causes of stress, recognising the symptoms and the implications for local authority managers and those working in the occupational health sector.

Planning and Compulsory Purchase Bill

John Redwood: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister which development documents a unitary authority will have to complete as a result of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Bill.

Tony McNulty: Under the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Bill, a unitary authority will have to prepare those local development documents that are specified in its local development scheme. These must include the authority's statement of community involvement and documents prescribed under clause 16(l)(a) of the Bill. It is intended that these prescribed documents should be a core strategy containing the core spatial planning policies for the authority's area and site specific policies, including a proposals map.

Property Prices

Christopher Chope: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will place in the Library a list of lower quartile prices of properties sold in each local authority area in each quarter of 2002.

Tony McNulty: A table showing lower quartile property prices in each local authority area will be available in the Library from Wednesday 29 January. Figures will be provided for all four quarters of 2001 and for the first three quarters of 2002.
	The figures are derived from the Land Registry dataset covering all residential property transactions—but excluding properties sold for less than £1,000 or more than £20 million.
	Note that the figures for Q3 2002 are provisional only. Revised and final figures for Q3 2002 will be made available by end-February, which is when provisional figures for Q4 2002 will also be available.

Regional Planning

John Redwood: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what guidance the Government will issue for regional housebuilding targets during the process of establishing Regional Strategic Procedure.

Tony McNulty: This Government do not set regional housebuilding targets. Annual rates of housing provision are kept under regular review and are established through regional planning guidance and the spatial strategy it should set out. Guidance on this is set out in Planning Policy Guidance Note 11 on 'Regional Planning' and Planning Policy Guidance Note 3 on 'Housing'. These arrangements will continue when regional spatial strategies replace regional planning guidance as provided for in the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Bill.

Right to Buy (Christchurch)

Christopher Chope: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many additional social housing units he estimates will be available to let in each of the next five years in Christchurch if the right to buy maximum discounts scheme is introduced.

Tony McNulty: The effect of lower maximum Right to Buy discounts on the supply of affordable housing in any area will depend upon a number of factors. It is likely to be limited initially, but to grow over time, reducing the upward pressure of Right to Buy sales and subsequent resales on local rents and housing prices.

Right to Buy (Christchurch)

Christopher Chope: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister 
	(1)  whether the Right to Buy scheme reduction in maximum discounts will apply to social housing within Christchurch borough owned by New Forest district council;
	(2)  whether the Right to Buy scheme reduction in maximum discounts applies to local housing in Christchurch in respect of which housing authorities outside Christchurch have the nomination right.

Tony McNulty: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is minded to reduce the maximum Right to Buy discount available to tenants to £16,000 in Christchurch and 41 other areas which are under the greatest housing market pressure, as evidenced by a high local incidence of homelessness and high house prices. The reduction will apply to all social housing available under the Right to Buy scheme in those areas. We have written to the local housing authorities giving them the opportunity to provide reasons why the change should not be made in their area. We will consider carefully all representations received.

Right to Buy (Reduced Discount Scheme)

Christopher Chope: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister why the number of lets to new council tenants and nominations by landlords to registered social landlords less the number of homes let to homeless households is reduced by 20 per cent. for the purpose of calculating available lets under the reduced discount scheme for right to buy.

Tony McNulty: In the initial assessment of 'available lets', a reduction of 20 per cent. was made to allow for dwellings unsuitable for the homeless (such as sheltered housing) and for other inescapable demand (such as urgent medical priority cases). This adjustment was made consistently in respect of all local authorities, so it did not affect their final ranking on the basis of the objective indicator of demand pressure.

Social Housing

Bob Russell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many dwellings were constructed by registered social housing landlords, excluding local authorities, in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available; and how many are planned to be built in the next financial year.

Tony McNulty: The numbers of new dwellings constructed by Registered Social Landlords in each of the last 10 years are shown in the following table. Information from local authority housing strategies shows, for 2003–04, a projected 31,000 total of new dwellings constructed and existing stock acquired by Registered Social Landlords.
	
		
			 Year Number of new dwellings constructed by Registered Social Landlords 
		
		
			 1992–93 23,969 
			 1993–94 30,213 
			 1994–95 31,375 
			 1995–96 30,226 
			 1996–97 24,630 
			 1998–99 21,397 
			 1999–2000 18,920 
			 2000–01 17,363 
			 2001–02 16,610 
			 2002–03 14,367

Social Housing

David Laws: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what his estimate is of the number of social houses (a) completed and (b) started in each reporting period in each year from 1982–83 to 2002–03, broken down by (i) English region and (ii) English local authority; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: The total numbers of houses started and completed by registered social landlords and local authorities in each region are shown in the table. The years shown are those which are readily available. I will write further to provide information for each local authority.
	
		Numbers of dwellings
		
			  Starts Completions 
		
		
			 North East   
			 1991–92 1,588 1,263 
			 1992–93 1,444 1,532 
			 1993–94 1,525 1,548 
			 1994–95 1,017 1,370 
			 1995–96 1,063 1,115 
			 1996–97 1,043 1,074 
			 1997–98 662 909 
			 1998–99 650 674 
			 1999–2000 571 807 
			 2000–01 669 636 
			 2001–02 167 493 
			   
			 North West   
			 1991–92 3,928 3,113 
			 1992–93 4,327 4,002 
			 1993–94 5,017 4,802 
			 1994–95 4,209 4,513 
			 1995–96 3,975 4,838 
			 1996–97 2,656 3,596 
			 1997–98 2,308 2,661 
			 1998–99 2,402 2,284 
			 1999–2000 1,993 2,884 
			 2000–01 1,439 1,926 
			 2001–02 1,353 1,673 
			   
			 Yorkshire and the Humber   
			 1991–92 2,478 2,283 
			 1992–93 3,108 2,466 
			 1993–94 3,134 3,269 
			 1994–95 3,084 2,884 
			 1995–96 2,638 3,273 
			 1996–97 1,789 2,732 
			 1997–98 1,482 1,556 
			 1998–99 1,233 1,587 
			 1999–2000 1,040 1,198 
			 2000–01 765 928 
			 2001–02 635 885 
			   
			 East Midlands   
			 1991–92 1,192 1,698 
			 1992–93 2,008 1,454 
			 1993–94 2,468 2,076 
			 1994–95 2,551 2,733 
			 1995–96 1,769 2,395 
			 1996–97 1,293 1,346 
			 1997–98 1,368 1,464 
			 1998–99 1,093 1,374 
			 1999–2000 1,034 1,179 
			 2000–01 454 906 
			 2001–02 442 649 
			   
			 West Midlands   
			 1991/92 2,446 2,511 
			 1992/93 2,901 3,101 
			 1993/94 3,380 2,668 
			 1994/95 3,151 3,874 
			 1995/96 2,071 2,563 
			 1996/97 2,311 2,217 
			 1997/98 1,973 1,873 
			 1998/99 1,999 2,152 
			 1999/2000 2,091 2,216 
			 2000/01 1,325 1,954 
			 2001/02 1,143 1,198 
			 East   
			 1991–92 2,106 2,116 
			 1992–93 3,335 2,733 
			 1993–94 3,833 3,726 
			 1994–95 3,649 3,319 
			 1995–96 3,064 3,404 
			 1996–97 2,581 2,991 
			 1997–98 2,415 2,472 
			 1998–99 1,946 2,486 
			 1999–2000 1,401 1,718 
			 2000–01 1,577 1,678 
			 2001–02 1,296 1,512 
			   
			 London   
			 1991–92 3,641 3,720 
			 1992–93 5,872 4,606 
			 1993–94 6,788 5,743 
			 1994–95 5,907 5,660 
			 1995–96 3,632 5,052 
			 1996–97 4,270 4,934 
			 1997–98 4,133 4,381 
			 1998–99 3,536 3,233 
			 1999–2000 2,799 2,934 
			 2000–01 3,038 4,320 
			 2001–02 2,606 3,846 
			   
			 South East   
			 1991–92 3,217 4,183 
			 1992–93 6,437 4,579 
			 1993–94 5,375 5,276 
			 1994–95 4,650 4,931 
			 1995–96 4,183 5,272 
			 1996–97 4,796 3,656 
			 1997–98 3,335 4,099 
			 1998–99 2,525 3,672 
			 1999–2000 3,106 2,914 
			 2000–01 2,228 2,828 
			 2001–02 2,315 2,850 
			   
			 South West   
			 1991–92 1,801 2,200 
			 1992–93 2,551 2,075 
			 1993–94 2,624 2,556 
			 1994–95 3,525 2,944 
			 1995–96 2,440 3,071 
			 1996–97 2,556 2,535 
			 1997–98 2,212 2,305 
			 1998–99 2,380 1,652 
			 1999–2000 2,184 1,615 
			 2000–01 1,528 1,823 
			 2001–02 1,416 1,444

LORD CHANCELLOR

Computer Misuse

Steve Webb: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many cases of computer misuse there were in her Department in each of the last five years, broken down by each category of misuse; and how many of those cases resulted in disciplinary action.

Rosie Winterton: There have been 43 cases of computer misuse in the Department over the last five years. These cases are broken down as follows.
	
		
			  1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 
		
		
			 Category 1 0 0 1 0 
			 Personal use 0 1 1 2 8 
			 Unofficial Business Use(34) 1 2 0 0 2 
			 Other 3 4 4 8 5 
			 Total 5 7 5 11 15 
		
	
	(34) This covers receipt of unsolicited business e-mails, either directly from the business site, or forwarded from internal users
	In each case disciplinary action has been taken where appropriate in line with Departmental disciplinary procedures, which accord with the central framework set out in paragraph 4.5 of the Civil Service Management Code.

Legal Services Commission

Andrew Turner: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what checks are undertaken by the Legal Services Commission on the competence of solicitors who claim to specialise in (a) divorce, (b) probate, (c) asylum, (d) family law, (e) property and (f) medical negligence.

Rosie Winterton: Generally probate cases will not be publicly funded but cases in the other categories may well be.
	Since 1 April 2001, all publicly funded legal service suppliers, whether solicitor firms or not for profit agencies, have had to hold a quality mark before being awarded a Legal Services Commission (LSC) contract. All solicitor suppliers for specialist legal services must hold the Specialist Quality Mark (SQM). The SQM focuses, in respect of individual competence, on supervision, training, and file review processes, and requires supervisor solicitors to be accredited to category specific qualifying panels as evidence of competence. The LSC conducts regular quality mark audits to ensure suppliers meet the required standard. The LSC also conducts cost compliance audits to check that public funds claimed by a supplier are being used appropriately.
	These audits enable the LSC to take appropriate measures to deal with poor quality work, including cost reductions and, in extreme cases, removal of the contract.

Public Record Office (Documents Release)

Paul Tyler: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if her Department will arrange for an early release of documents held by the Public Record Office, originated by the then Department of the Environment and the Department of Trade and Industry, relating to the Lowermoor Water Poisoning Incident of July 1988.

Elliot Morley: I have been asked to reply.
	A report of the incident was produced in August 1988 and put into the public domain and two reports into the health of the people in the area were published in 1989 and 1991. Copies of these last two reports are in the Library of the House. Other health studies into the incident have been published in scientific literature. The report of the sub group of the Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment, which is considering the continuing health concerns expressed by those affected by the incident, will be published by the Department of Health later this year. We are looking at our files to see if they contain any further environmental information on the incident that can be released and put on the Department's website.

Statutory Instruments

John Bercow: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, how many statutory instruments have been issued by her Department in each calendar year since 1979.

Rosie Winterton: The figures in the following table show the number of Statutory Instruments, Orders in Council and Northern Ireland Statutory Rules issued by the Lord Chancellor's Department from 1998 to 2002.
	Figures for previous years are unavailable.
	
		
			  1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 
		
		
			 Statutory Instrument 57 106 110 137 64 
			 Order in Council 2 4 2 10 14 
			 Northern Ireland Statutory Rule 26 16 21 15 26 
			 Total 35 126 133 162 104

HEALTH

Acute Hospital Services

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has conducted into the reasons for different categories of acute hospital staff choosing to leave their professions.

John Hutton: The Department has commissioned over many years and continues to fund a series of cohort studies of doctors' careers by the United Kingdom medical careers research group at the University of Oxford.
	This research covers all doctors, not just those employed in acute hospitals. The objectives are:
	to determine the career choices of UK doctors at regular intervals after qualification and to study the factors that influence them;
	to study career progression at regular intervals, to compare it with earlier career choices and to determine factors that have influenced any change;
	to study and estimate the movement of doctors to work outside the national health service, to work in medicine outside the UK, or to leave medicine, and to identify factors associated with them;
	to ascertain the views of doctors about their work, training, career, working environment, and morale, and to compare these between specialties, grades, etc.;
	to use study findings to model and forecast future workforce supply;
	to consider the findings, to make recommendations about their interpretation and policy relevance, and to inform medical workforce planners and decision-makers about factors that have an important influence on medical careers and medical work.
	These studies, which are questionnaire surveys of all UK medical graduates, have been published most recently in the British Medical Journal on 28 September 2002.
	The Department also funds the nursing research unit at King's College London to do similar work on nurses' careers.

Aids and Adaptations

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he intends to publish his consultation document on the provision of aids and adaptations; and whether the document will include an assessment of the adequacy of staffing and financial resources in the provision of adaptations for elderly and disabled people.

Tony McNulty: I have been asked to reply.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, jointly with the Department of Health, will very shortly be publishing guidance on delivering an effective housing adaptations service. This guidance deals primarily with how such a service should be organised by the relevant housing and social service departments of local authorities and is based on detailed field research about existing best practice. In relation to the adequacy of resources available for this programme the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will shortly publish a long-term programme of action to deliver sustainable communities in all regions. This will set out the allocation of spending review resources on housing and planning including the funding available for Disabled Facilities Grants over the next three years.

Ambulance Equipment (Chemical Incidents)

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) NHS acute trusts and (b) NHS ambulance trusts received a letter dated 22 October from the chief scientist because they had yet to order mobile decontamination units and personal protective equipment for chemical incidents.

John Hutton: The Department of Health chief scientist wrote to the national health service on 22 October to remind all NHS trust chief executives of current policy on this issue.

Biological Warfare

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which organisation will be responsible for the (a) assessment of and (b) response to the health dimension of the threats of biological warfare.

John Hutton: Assessment of the threats of biological warfare is undertaken in the context of the overall monitoring and assessment of potential terrorist threats to the United Kingdom done by the security and intelligence agencies, the police, scientific and other specialist advisors including the scientific resources of DSTL Porton Down. The Home Office is the lead Department for terrorist threats or incidents.
	The Department of Health is the lead Department for dealing with infectious diseases in England. It is assisted in this role by the Public Health Laboratory Service. Assessment of the health dimensions and the operational responses needed to deal with the threat of biological warfare is undertaken by the Department of Health in concert with other Government Departments and agencies involved in the wider threat assessments.

Body Piercing

Meg Munn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has considered on the risks of body piercing to people with congenital heart disease.

Hazel Blears: We are not aware of any research into the risks of body piercing for individuals with congenital heart disease, although there have been a small number of published case reports from abroad of endocarditis in individuals with congenital heart disease following skin piercing.
	There has been a small study in the United States, which investigated ear piercing and tattooing in patients with congenital heart disease 1 . In this study, no patients experienced serious infections following ear-piercing or tattooing, although about a quarter of patients experienced minor local skin infections following ear piercing.
	1 Cetta F., Graham L. C., Lichtenberg R. C., Warnes C. A. Piercing and tattooing in patients with congenital heart disease: patient and physician perspectives. Journal of Adolescent Health 1999: 24: 160–162.

Buckinghamshire Hospitals NHS Trust

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what plans he has to ensure a smooth handover from the boards and management of the Stoke Mandeville Hospital NHS Trust and the South Buckinghamshire NHS Trust to the new Buckinghamshire Hospitals NHS Trust from 1 April;
	(2)  when he will announce the names of (a) the Chief Executive designate and (b) the Directors-designate of the Buckinghamshire Hospitals NHS Trust.

Hazel Blears: holding answers 23 January 2003
	A comprehensive project plan for the development of the new Buckinghamshire Hospitals National Health Service Trust and for the transfer of the functions and responsibilities of the Stoke Mandeville Hospital NHS Trust and South Buckinghamshire NHS Trust has been in place for some time.
	The plan covers, among many other things, the appointment of the chair and chief executive, the transfer arrangements for staff and legal aspects of property and finance.
	Interviews will take place shortly for the post of chief executive and an announcement will be made as soon as possible. The appointment of executive directors will follow this.

Cancelled Operations

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients whose operation was cancelled on the day of surgery did not receive a new binding date for an operation within 28 days in each quarter of the last year; and what arrangements were put in place to provide these patients with treatment at a time and hospital of their choosing.

John Hutton: The NHS Plan cancelled operations guarantee came into force on 1 April 2002. Under the NHS Plan, if a patient's operation is cancelled by the hospital on the day of surgery for non-clinical reasons, the hospital will have to offer another binding date within a maximum of the next 28 days or fund the patient's treatment at the time and hospital of the patient's choice.
	Data on the number of operations cancelled on the day of surgery and on the number of patients who were still waiting for treatment after 28 days of their original cancelled operation date were collected from Quarter 1, 2002–03. The latest available for Quarter 2, 2002–03 have been placed in the Library and are available at national health service trust level on a quarterly basis at http://www.doh.gov.uk/hospitalactivity/data requests/cancelled operations.htm
	NHS trusts are performance managed on their performance against the NHS Plan guarantee by strategic health authorities. In doing this StHA will ensure that they have mechanisms in place which will provide them with the necessary evidence that patients whose operations have been cancelled on the day of surgery for non-clinical reasons, subsequently receive treatment at the time and hospital of their choosing, in line with the guarantee.

Child Protection

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his policy is on profiling of individuals in assessing the basis of unsubstantiated allegations in relation to child protection.

Jacqui Smith: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health has no policy on the profiling of individuals in assessing the basis of unsubstantiated allegations of child abuse.
	Not all allegations of child abuse are substantiated. However, it is essential that all reports of child welfare concerns, whether made by professionals or the general public, are taken seriously and responded to promptly. The response should take into account any concerns that may previously have been received and focus on assessing the needs of the referred child.

Children's Services (Greater Manchester)

Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress he has made in establishing a supervisory board for children's services within Greater Manchester for primary, secondary and tertiary paediatric services.

Andrew Smith: holding answer 2 December 2002
	I am aware that senior representatives of the strategic health authority and the Central Manchester and Manchester Children's University Hospitals NHS Trust recently met local hon. Members to inform them of progress.
	I understand that the Greater Manchester strategic health authority recently circulated proposals to establish a children's network supervisory board. Comments have been requested by the end of January.

Cleft Lip and Palate Services

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he plans to reply to the letters of the Chairman of East Dorset Community Health Council of 27 September and 29 October, regarding cleft lip and palate services.

Hazel Blears: This concerns an appeal to the Secretary of State by East Dorset Community Health Council regarding recommendations for the reconfiguration of the cleft lip and palate service. I will be writing to Mr. McCarthy as the Chair of the CHC, shortly.

Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will define the term "traditionally marginalised groups" used in his Department's press release of 31 December 2002, New Era in Patient and Public Involvement in NHS.

David Lammy: The Department does not hold a definitive list of marginalised groups as it is for local health communities to determine which are the relevant groups in their area who do not generally have an opportunity to be involved in decisions about matters affecting their health.
	Paragraph 13.2 of the NHS Plan talks about
	"tackling disadvantage in all its forms—poverty, lack of educational attainment, unemployment, discrimination and social exclusion"
	and recognises that inequity in access to services is not restricted to social class and geography and that people with disabilities and minority ethnic communities have specific needs.

Community Care

Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the proposed fee increases from the Department of Health to be administered by local authorities for the provision of community care.

Jacqui Smith: The Department does not set or recommend the rates at which councils contract with residential care and nursing homes. The detail of contracting arrangements between councils and independent sector providers of care is a matter for local decision.
	The Government are providing records levels of funding for social services. Resources have increased nationally by 20 per cent. in real terms between 1996–97 and 2002–03, an average real terms increase of 3 per cent. per annum.
	In addition, as announced on 17 April, we are increasing the resources for personal social services by an annual average of 6 per cent. in real terms from 2003–04 to 2005–06. Local councils will be able to use the extra resources to stabilise the care home market and provide more care home places.

Community Care

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what definitions he uses of (a) continuing care and (b) nursing care in a person's own home; and if he will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: Guidance to the national health service and councils on eligibility for continuing care is contained in HSC 2001/015: LAC (2001) 18, published in June 2001.
	The guidance makes it clear that fully funded NHS continuing health care can be provided in a person's own home, if the individual meets the criteria and it is possible to provide the care they need in their own home. In addition, the NHS routinely provides or arranges care from registered nurses and other staff in people's own homes.

Community Health Councils

John Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement about the future of community health councils.

David Lammy: An announcement on the future of community health councils will be made shortly.

Delayed Discharge

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the accuracy of the delayed discharge figures; and what audit mechanisms are in place to ensure the figures are accurately collected and collated.

Jacqui Smith: The NHS Plan set out the Government's commitment to reduce substantially the number of people waiting to be discharged from hospital when they are fit to do so. Good progress has been made so far, with over 1,500 fewer people waiting to be discharged on any one day between September 2001 and September 2002. The Department is concerned to ensure that all data are as accurate as possible. Since April 2002, primary care trusts are responsible for submitting quarterly data to the Department. The Department can, and does, query data via the relevant strategic health authority on a regular basis.

Delayed Discharge

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many delayed discharge patients there were in hospital in (a) the latest month for which figures are available and (b) May 2002, broken down by local authority area in England.

Jacqui Smith: holding answers 14 January 2002
	The information requested is not available in the form requested. Delayed discharge data for England from September 2001 to September 2002 are shown in the table. These data are not available by council areas. Delayed discharges are a joint health and social services indicator and data are submitted to the Department on the basis of national health service organisations, the data having been agreed with their social services partners.
	Since April 2002, this has been broken down by primary care trust areas and prior to that; by health authority. The detailed breakdowns by health authority and primary care trust have been placed in the Library.
	
		England: Numbers of delayed discharges of patients of all ages by primary care trust(35)
		
			  Delayed discharges 
		
		
			 September 2002 5,385 
			 June 2002 5,489 
			 March 2002 5,473 
			 December 2001 6,419 
			 September 2001 7,065 
		
	
	(35) March 2002, December 2001 and September 2001 figures were collected by health authorities

Delayed Discharge

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the recent levels of delayed discharges in (a) North Yorkshire and (b) England.

Jacqui Smith: There has been a continued reduction in delayed discharges in England, the latest figures for September 2002 show 5,385 delays compared to 7,065 in September 2001. Delayed discharges are a joint health and social services indicator and data are submitted to the Department on the basis of national health service organisations, the data having been agreed with their social services partners. Since April 2002, this has been broken down by primary care trust (PCT). The detailed breakdowns by PCT for June 2002 and September 2002 have been placed in the Library.

Dentists (Fareham)

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the dental practices that accept NHS patients in Fareham.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 27 January 2003
	There are five dental practices with addresses in Fareham who have national health service patients on their books. They are listed as follows:
	(i) 16 Park lane
	Fareham
	PO16 7J"
	(ii) 4 Grove Road
	Fareham
	PO16 0N"
	(iii) 8 Kings Road
	Fareham
	PO16 0N"
	(iv) 98 Highlands Road
	Fareham
	PO15 6JF
	(v) 12 South Street
	Titchfield
	Fareham
	PO14 4DJ

Performance Report

Tony Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when his Department's autumn performance report for 2002 will be published.

David Lammy: In December 2002, the Department published the Chief Executive's Report to the National Health Service, setting out progress during 2001–02 and for the first six months of the year.
	This report sets out clearly how the increased resources within the NHS are being used to improve performance by providing more care for patients, improving quality and providing investment for the future.

Doctor: Patient Ratios

John Cryer: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures he is taking to improve doctor-patient ratios within Havering Primary Care Trust; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: We are committed to expanding the primary care workforce both through national and local initiatives. The London Workforce Development Confederation has introduced a number of specific programmes to expand the general practitioner workforce in London by 225 GPs. These include:
	The London Deanery's successful expansion of the number of training places in GP practices for GP registrars. This year there are an additional 51 training places for GPs in London. Primary care trusts will be able to build on this success by setting up new and more flexible contracts for newly qualified GPs.
	More flexible career opportunities, particularly those designed to retain GPs close to retirement age, are also being put into place by London PCTs including a Flexible Career Scheme which will commence shortly, designed to attract GPs back into practice for part-time working.
	Havering PCT is supporting nine applications for personal medical service status which includes seven salaried GP posts. The PCT is also working to make Havering a more attractive proposition for GPs to retain and further recruit doctors in the area. Some of the areas being progressed are the development of specialist GPs and a means of retaining registrars after they qualify. Developing the primary care infrastructure is also a key element of the PCT's strategy and its involvement in the local improvement finance trust process should further enhance its ability to retain GPs by making improved facilities available to them.

Free Eye Tests (Shropshire)

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many free eye tests to pensioners there were in each year since 1997 in (a) Shropshire and (b) Shrewsbury and Atcham.

David Lammy: The table shows the number of national health service sight tests paid for in Shropshire health authority (HA) for 1997–98 to 2001–02. Figures for the number of sight tests by constituency and age are not collected centrally, the nearest eligibility category for pensioners is those aged 60 and over.
	Eligibility to NHS sight tests was extended to those aged 60 and over from 1 April 1999. There was an increase of 24,660 sight tests between 1998–99 and 1999–2000. It is fair to assume that the vast majority of this increase was due to newly eligible people aged 60 or over obtaining NHS sight tests.
	
		General Ophthalmic Services: Number of sight tests paid for in Shropshire HA for the years 1997–98 to 2001–02
		
			 Year Total number of sight tests Total number of sight tests for aged 60 and over 
		
		
			 1997–98 61,460 — 
			 1998–99 64,350 — 
			 1999–2000 89,010 33,460 
			 2000–01 91,160 38,230 
			 2001–02 94,880 24,210

Frictional Discharge

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his Answer of 5 December 2002, Official Report, column 965W, on frictional discharge, what percentage and how many people classify as minimal numbers of delayed transfers in England.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 21 January 2003
	As Government investment and the Community Care (Delayed Discharges, etc) Bill takes full effect, nobody should need to remain in hospital unnecessarily when they are fit to be discharged.

GP Recruitment

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much the recruitment of general practitioners has changed in (a) Shropshire and (b) the UK, in the last five years.

John Hutton: holding answer 2 December 2002
	Information relating to general practitioner recruitment in the Shropshire health authority area over the last five years is shown in the table. We do not collect this information on a UK basis.
	
		Unrestricted principals and equivalents (UPEs)(36): Numbers from annual census 1996–2002—Shropshire health authority
		
			 Year Numbers (headcount) 
		
		
			 1996 239 
			 1997 239 
			 1998 241 
			 1999 250 
			 2000 243 
			 2001 243 
			 2002 245 
		
	
	(36) UPEs include GMS unrestricted principals, PMS contracted GPs and PMS salaried GPs.
	
		UPEs: joiners and leavers in Shropshire HA between 1996–97 and 2001–02
		
			   Of which: 
			  Joiners New joiners Re-joiners 
		
		
			 October 1996-October 1997 14 10 4 
			 October 1997-October 1998 9 9 0 
			 October 1998-October 1999 9 5 4 
			 October 1999-October 2000 8 8 0 
			 September 2000-September 2001 10 8 2 
			 September 2001-March 2002(37) 8 7 1 
		
	
	(37) This relates to a six month comparison and may not show seasonal variations.
	Notes:
	Numbers of UPEs as at 1 October 1996 to 1999, 30 September 2000–01 and 31 March 2002.
	Other rows relate to changes between successive censuses.
	Source:
	Department of Health General and Personal Medical Services Statistics

GP Recruitment

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many trainee GPs failed to complete their training in each year since 1977.

John Hutton: holding answer 2 December 2002
	Summative assessment of general practice registrars was introduced throughout the United Kingdom in 1996. A review of the five year period to 30 September 2001 shows that 7,643 candidates undertook the test with 7,370 being successful and 273, 3.6 per cent, unsuccessful: A breakdown of this is set out in the following table. However, this does not include those doctors undertaking GP training who may have dropped out prior to being summatively assessed for which no figures are held.
	
		
			  Total GPRs Failed to complete Percentage 
		
		
			 September 1996-August 1997 1,218 36 3.00 
			 September 1997-August 1998 1,469 53 3.60 
			 September 1998- August 1999 1,607 64 4.00 
			 September 1999-August 2000 1,688 67 4.00 
			 September 2000-August 2001 1,661 53 3.20 
			  7,643 273 3.6 
		
	
	A recent investigation showed that out of the 273 unsuccessful GP registrars
	183 have now successfully completed the summative assessment process 67 per cent. after a further period of training.
	eight are still in training 3 per cent.
	82 did not complete their training, however these doctors may return to GP registrar training at a later date 30 per cent.
	There are no centrally held figures in respect of doctors completing or not completing GP training prior to 1996.

Health Protection Agency

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions his Department has held with representatives from the Public Health Laboratory Service in relation to the creation of a Health Protection Agency.

Hazel Blears: The Public Health Laboratory Service board and management have been closely involved at each stage of the process and are represented on the steering group, the project group and all of the working groups associated with creating the Health Protection Agency and transferring to the national health service those laboratories that are to be transferred in preparation for its creation.
	In addition, the staff representative organisations have been involved in regular trade union liaison group meetings which were established at the outset to oversee the implementation of the HPA. I met with staff side representatives on 13 January 2003 to review progress.

Health Workers

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the freedom to work provisions in the Treaty of Rome apply to all health workers.

John Hutton: The Treaty confers the right of freedom of movement for workers, without specifying the kind of work done.

Healthcare Acquired Infection

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what work Strategic Health Authorities are undertaking to assess healthcare acquired infection data from local trusts; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: The Commission for Health Improvement has recently announced two performance indicators for acute and specialist trusts for 2003, which relate to healthcare associated infections.
	One performance indicator concerns infection control procedures and the other is an improvement score for methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia. Both indicators are based on healthcare associated infection data provided by acute national health service hospital trusts. Strategic health authorities will be using these indicators to manage the performance of their trusts in the future.

Healthcare Acquired Infection

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what monitoring his Department has undertaken on the availability of sufficient hand basins for effective infection control procedures in NHS hospitals.

Hazel Blears: The design of new facilities is monitored by NHS Estates via the business case approvals process to ensure that proposals conform to design guidance issued by NHS Estates. This includes recommendations on the number of wash-hand basins for specific situations.
	Trust chief executives are responsible for ensuring that there are effective arrangements in place for infection control. Monitoring of facilities for infection control, including provision of wash-hand basins within existing buildings, is undertaken by their infection control team.

Hospital Shift Patterns

Archie Norman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the impact of shift patterns of working in acute hospitals on (a) continuity of patient care and (b) overall quality of patient care.

John Hutton: The majority of health professionals have always worked on shift patterns. The main exception has been the provision of resident out of hours medical cover, which has been largely provided by doctors in training. The most common arrangement is for these doctors to work a 'resident on call' where the doctor is resident on hospital premises for the full 24 hour period but only deemed to be working when actually called.
	With the extension of the European Working Time Directive (EWTD) to doctors in training from August 2004, current resident on call working patterns are unlikely to represent the best use of available resources. Doctors providing out of hours cover will generally have to either move on to some form of shift pattern or provide cover through non-resident on call working.
	The Department recognises the need to introduce these changes to working patterns in a way that maintains or improves the continuity and quality of patient care. To this end guidance on the implementation of EWTD for Doctors in Training has been issued (HSC 2003–001) and the Department is funding a programme of pilot projects to test a range of solutions. These pilots will be rigorously evaluated to ensure that standards of patient care have been maintained or improved. The key to continuity of care is the implementation of effective shift hand-over arrangements and good record keeping and this will also be evaluated in the pilot programme.

Hyperactivity

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what training is provided within the health and social services system on attention deficit hyperactivity for workers with personal contact with sufferers.

Jacqui Smith: In recent years, the Department has supported a number of initiatives taken by professional bodies and other agencies to raise awareness of attention deficit disorder (ADD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and to facilitate accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment. These include an evidence-based briefing for clinicians on the use of stimulant medication (1999) and fact-sheets for parents, teachers and young people on attention deficit problems and hyperactivity, both produced by the Royal College of Psychiatrists.
	We have also collaborated with the Department for Education and Skills in issuing guidance for teachers on promoting children's mental health, including attention deficit/hyperactivity, within early years and school settings, in 2001. The Department has also grant-aided the ADHD UK Alliance, an organisation which helps to co-ordinate voluntary sector activity and development work in this field.
	In general the content of professional training is a matter for the relevant professional bodies. However the Department's requirements for social work training from September 2003 will include elements covering child development and mental health and communication skills with children.

Irwell Mill, Bacup

Janet Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost is of the proposed development by the Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale primary care trust on the site of Irwell Mill, Rochdale Road, Bacup; who will be responsible for the demolition and at what cost; and what payments in connection with the purchase of this site will be made to Stylegleam Ltd.

Jacqui Smith: The Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale primary care trust will be the owners of Irwell Mill in the very near future. The site was purchased at an auction, at an overall purchase price of £36,500. £14,500 was paid to the part owners, who are not Stylegleam Ltd., but may be associated with them. The purchases have been agreed by the district valuer.
	Most of the mill will be demolished, with the Burnley borough council acting as the agents. The Regional Development Agency is funding the demolition work as part of its contribution to the regeneration of the town. A grant of £292,880 has been made available for this purpose.
	From September 2003, the site will be transferred into a new public/private company. The primary care trust will have to repay any betterment value to the Regional Development Agency. This is likely to be in the region of £60,000. Any payments to the Regional Development Agency will be paid out of enabling monies, which have been made available to the East Lancashire local investment finance trust project. Thus, the cost of the acquisition and demolition to the primary care trust will be nil.
	Once the site has been transferred into the public/private company, the latter will construct a new health centre on the site, estimated at £4.087 million including equipment, to provide health care facilities to national standards.

Kava-kava

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what health risks have led to the decision to ban Kava-kava; and how many incidences of health-related problems arising from such risks there have been in each of the past 10 years;
	(2)  how many deaths in the past 10 years in the UK have been attributed to consumption of Kava-kava;
	(3)  how many medical products containing Kava-kava are licensed;
	(4)  how the Medicines Control Agency determines what is an acceptable level of risk for the voluntary consumption of a medical product;
	(5)  what recent discussions he has had with other countries about safety issues related to Kava-kava; and how many have also banned products containing Kava-kava.

Hazel Blears: In the United Kingdom, there are three licensed products containing the herbal ingredient Kava-kava (Piper methysticum). The majority of medicinal products containing Kava-kava sold in the UK are unlicensed and are exempt from licensing under section 12 of the Medicines Act 1968.
	Evidence has emerged that consumption of medicinal products containing Kava-kava may be associated with liver toxicity in rare cases. To date, 70 cases of liver damage, suspected to be associated with the consumption of Kava-kava, have been reported worldwide. The case reports originate from Switzerland, Germany, Australia, Canada, France, the United States and four from the UK.
	The severity of the liver damage suffered varies widely. Suspected adverse reactions include abnormal liver enzyme activity, jaundice, hepatitis and liver failure. In seven cases the patients suffered irreversible liver failure and received liver transplants. Four patients have died, including two of the patients who received liver transplants. None of the UK cases were associated with a fatal outcome.
	The following table provides a breakdown of the number of cases of suspected liver damage associated with Kava-kava submitted to regulatory authorities in the last 10 years.
	
		
			 Year reaction reported Number of cases of hepatotoxicity 
		
		
			 1992 1 
			 1993 1 
			 1994 2 
			 1995 0 
			 1996 0 
			 1997 1 
			 1998 4 
			 1999 4 
			 2000 10 
			 2001 22 
			 2002 11 
		
	
	In addition the Medicines Control Agency (MCA) received 13 case reports of hepatotoxicity associated with Kava-kava in 2002 from regulatory authorities world wide, where the date of the adverse reaction or received date were not specified.
	A report of a suspected adverse reaction does not necessarily mean that it was caused by the herbal medicine. The number of reports received cannot be used as a basis for determining the incidence of a reaction as neither the total number of reactions occurring, nor the number of patients using the herbal medicine is known. Herbal medicines are often supplied without prescription and are taken without advice from doctors or pharmacists. It is generally recognised that the reporting rate for medicines supplied over the counter is lower than that of suspected adverse reactions associated with prescription medicines. Therefore, data obtained on suspected adverse reactions associated with herbal medicines through the Yellow Card Scheme cannot be directly compared to reporting for licensed pharmaceutical medicines.
	The acceptable level of risk for a medicine will depend on the seriousness of the disease it is being used to treat and its efficacy in treating that disease as well as the availability of alternatives. A risk of an adverse effect that would be acceptable for a life saving treatment such as an anti-cancer medicine would not necessarily be acceptable in a treatment for a non-serious or self-limiting condition.
	Each safety issue is considered on a case by case basis. In the case of Kava-kava the limited evidence of efficacy, the unpredictable and serious nature of the adverse reactions, the difficulty in regularly monitoring liver function without medical supervision and the lack of regulatory powers to require label warnings for unlicensed medicines were taken in to account.
	The safety of Kava-kava has been discussed with European member states via the pharmacovigilance working party of the Committee for Proprietary Medicinal Products. The MCA has in addition communicated with the regulatory authorities of the USA, Australia and Canada. Other European member states have revoked or suspended the licences and Australia and Canada have initiated recalls of all products containing Kava-kava.

King Edward VII Hospital, Midhurst

Virginia Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what (a) volume and (b) type of NHS work was undertaken by King Edward VII Hospital, Midhurst, in 2002–03; and if he will make a statement on its future.

Hazel Blears: The information requested is not collected centrally.
	Ministers and departmental officials have received a number of representations regarding the situation at the hospital. Discussions with the liquidator are currently ongoing. In view of that, it would not be appropriate for Ministers to comment further, although these discussions will of course focus on the continuing provision of appropriate care for national health service patients.

Maintenance Work

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost was of outstanding maintenance work necessary to achieve estate code condition B in the NHS in 2001–02, broken down into (a) fire safety and (b) health and safety costs in (i) England and (ii) each NHS region.

David Lammy: The cost of outstanding repair and maintenance work necessary to achieve estate code condition B standards in England is commonly termed backlog maintenance costs and are generally broken down into fire safety, health and safety and physical condition elements.
	For the year 2001–02 these costs, broken down by the former eight regions and current four Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) regions are shown in the tables.
	
		By former region 2001–02 -- £000
		
			 Region Cost to achieve Physical Condition B Cost to achieve Statutory Health and Safety Compliance Standard B Cost to achieve Fire Safety Compliance Standard B Total backlog  
		
		
			 Eastern 269,018 17,779 21,607 308,404 
			 London 687,774 97,676 62,937 848,387 
			 North West 311,394 38,105 23,130 372,629 
			 Northern and Yorkshire 408,689 27,279 22,540 458,507 
			 South East 375,483 56,954 25,113 457,551 
			 South West 212,008 26,285 10,270 248,564 
			 Trent 199,643 43,496 51,315 294,454 
			 West Midlands 401,518 33,834 23,632 458,983 
			 Total for England 2,865,526 341,409 240,544 3,447,479 
		
	
	
		By DHSC region 2001–02 -- £000
		
			 DHSC region Cost to achieve Physical Condition B Cost to achieve Statutory Health and Safety Compliance Standard B Cost to achieve Fire Safety Compliance Standard B Total backlog  
		
		
			 London 687,774 97,676 62,937 848,387 
			 Midlands and Eastern 857,720 90,084 90,311 1,038,115 
			 North 796,643 72,759 53,144 922,547 
			 South 523,388 80,890 34,151 638,429 
			 Total for England 2,865,526 341,409 240,544 3,447,479 
		
	
	National targets on backlog maintenance set in the NHS Plan are incorporated into the Department of Health priority and planning framework document 2003–06.

Meat (Safety)

Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the Food Standards Agency will issue advice on the safety of eating meat from animals which have been vaccinated against foot and mouth.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 23 January 2003
	I am advised by the Food Standards Agency that the agency issued advice in April 2001 that eating meat, milk or other produce from animals that have been treated with authorised foot and mouth disease vaccines would not have any implications for food safety.

Medical Staff

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what right he will have to veto European proposals to introduce the 16 week provision relating to medical staff in the United Kingdom.

John Hutton: The proposed provision forms part of a draft directive, which is the subject of continuing negotiation. In publishing it, the European Commission stated that its adoption would be by qualified majority insofar as its implementation did not require changes in the law of any member state governing the professions regarding training and conditions of access by natural persons. If that presumption failed, adoption would require unanimity.

Mental Health Treatment

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance has been issued to primary care trusts for the prescription of Aricept, Exelon and Reminyl for patients with mental health problems.

Jacqui Smith: In January 2001 the National Institute for Clinical Excellence issued guidance to the national health service on the use of Aricept (donepezil), Exelon (rivastigmine) and Reminyl (galantamine) for the treatment of mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease.

Mental Health Treatment

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many primary care trusts prescribe (a) Aricept, (b) Exelon and (c) Reminyl.

Jacqui Smith: Information about the number of primary care trusts in England where these drugs are prescribed is shown in the table.
	
		Number of primary care trusts where dementia drugs were prescribed in GP practices and were dispensed in the community: England
		
			  April-November 2002  
			  Number Percentage 
		
		
			 Aricept (Donepezil Hydrochloride) 304 100 
			 Reminyl (Galantamine) 273 90 
			 Exelon (Rivastigmine) 285 94

Mental Health Treatment

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the current cost to the NHS is of prescribing (a) Aricept, (b) Exelon and (c) Reminyl.

Jacqui Smith: Information showing the net ingredient cost of prescribing (a) Aricept, (b) Exelon and (c) Reminyl in England is shown in the table.
	
		Net ingredient cost (£000) of dementia drugs dispensed in the community in England
		
			  Prescribed in GP practices(38) Prescribed in hospitals(39) Total NIC(40) Percentage of NIC of drugs dispensed in the community which were prescribed in hospitals 
		
		
			 Aricept (Donepezil Hydrochloride)   
			 October-December 2001 1,818.3 1,137.3 2,956.0 38 
			 January-March 2002 2,046.7 1,170.8 3,217.6 36 
			 April-June 2002 2,476.7 1,263.3 3,740.0 34 
			 July-September 2002 2,865.0 1,405.6 4,271.7 33 
			 12 months ending September 2002 9,206.8 4,977.0 14,185.3 35 
			  
			 Reminyl (Galantamine)
			 October-December 2001 185.5 196.8 382.5 51 
			 January-March 2002 240.6 215.8 456.4 47 
			 April-June 2002 327.3 242.5 570.1 43 
			 July-September 2002 410.3 263.5 673.9 39 
			 12 months ending September 2002 1,163.7 918.6 2,083.0 44 
			  
			 Exelon (Rivastigmine)
			 October-December 2001 264.7 126.8 391.4 32 
			 January-March 2002 287.5 131.0 418.5 31 
			 April-June 2002 325.7 138.5 464.0 30 
			 July-September 2002 362.9 154.8 517.7 30 
			 12 months ending September 2002 1,240.8 551.1 1,791.6 31 
		
	
	(38) Prescribed in GP practices in England, and dispensed in the community (this can include prescriptions written in England dispensed outside England).
	(39) Prescribed in hospitals, and dispensed in the community in England (Also included are prescription written in Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man but dispensed in England).
	(40) NIC of all prescription items dispensed in the community in England.
	Notes:
	Total items may not necessarily equal the sum of 1 and 2, because of the slight difference in geographical cover.
	Information about drugs prescribed and dispensed in hospitals is not available.

Mental Health Treatment

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients are currently prescribed (a) Aricept, (b) Exelon and (c) Reminyl on the NHS.

Jacqui Smith: We do not hold information in the form requested. However, information on the number of prescriptions for dementia drugs dispensed in the community in England is shown in the table.
	
		Number of items (thousand) of dementia drugs dispensed in the community in England
		
			  Prescribed in GP practices(41) Prescribed in hospitals(42) Total items(43) Percentage of items dispensed in the community which were prescribed in hospitals 
		
		
			 Aricept (Donepezil Hydrochloride)   
			 October-December 2001 22.2 8.2 30.5 27 
			 January-March 2002 25.0 8.4 33.4 25 
			 April-June 2002 30.2 9.3 39.4 24 
			 July-September 2002 35.2 9.9 45.2 22 
			 12 months ending September 2002 112.6 35.8 148.4 24 
			  
			 Reminyl (Galantamine)
			 October-December 2001 2.9 2.0 4.8 41 
			 January-March 2002 3.7 1.8 5.6 33 
			 April-June 2002 4.9 2.2 7.2 31 
			 July-September 2002 6.2 2.3 8.5 27 
			 12 months ending September 2002 17.7 8.3 26.1 32 
			  
			 Exelon (Rivastigmine)
			 October-December 2001 4.4 1.8 5.9 29 
			 January-March 2002 4.8 1.8 6.3 27 
			 April-June 2002 5.5 1.7 7.1 24 
			 July-September 2002 6.2 1.8 7.9 23 
			 12 months ending September 2002 20.9 7.1 27.3 25 
		
	
	(41) Prescribed in GP practices in England, and dispensed in the community (this can include prescriptions written in England dispensed outside England).
	(42) Prescribed in hospitals, and dispensed in the community in England (Also included are prescription written in Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man but dispensed in England).
	(43) All prescription items dispensed in the community in England.
	Notes:
	Total items may not necessarily equal the sum of 1 and 2, because of the slight difference in geographical cover.
	Information about drugs prescribed and dispensed in hospitals is not available.

Mental Health Wards

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many beds were available in secure mental health wards in each of the last five years.

Jacqui Smith: The information requested is shown in the tables. The long-term secure bed numbers are included in these figures, but not separately identified in routine data collection.
	
		
			 Year Number of high secure beds 
		
		
			 1997 1,374 
			 1998 1,366 
			 1999 1,320 
			 2000 1,290 
			 2001 1,263 
			 2002 1,244 
		
	
	
		
			Secure beds  
			 Year Medium Other 
		
		
			 1997–98 1,493 986 
			 1998–99 1,642 1,032 
			 1999–2000 1,994 1,191 
			 2000–01 2,231 1,353 
			 2001–02 (44)— (44)— 
		
	
	(44) Figures currently not available.
	Note:
	Bed numbers are calculated from health authority returns of occupied bed days and assuming a 95 per cent. occupancy rate.

Ministerial Engagements

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many engagements were undertaken outside London (a) by him or his predecessor and (b) by Ministers in his Department in January (i) 2000, (ii) 2001 and (iii) 2002.

David Lammy: holding answer 16 December 2002
	In January 2000 my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, undertook no visits outside London and made one visit in January 2001 and one visit in January 2002.
	Members of the ministerial team made a total of 11 visits in January 2000, 16 visits in January 2001 and six visits in 2002 to venues outside London.

NHS Dentistry (Shropshire)

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many patients were registered with an NHS dentist in (a) Shrewsbury and Atcham and (b) Shropshire in each year since 1997;
	(2)  what the average waiting time for an appointment was for the dental access centre in Shrewsbury in each month since its inception;
	(3)  how many patients were waiting for treatment at the dental access centre in Shrewsbury in each month since it opened.

David Lammy: The table shows the number of registrations in Shropshire health authority at 30 September in each of the years 1997 to 2002.
	Registrations lapse if patients do not return to their dentists within 15 months. Registrations will exclude patients who have not been to their general dental service (CDS) dentist within the past 15 months and patients who receive dental treatment from other national health service dental services.
	During the period 1997 to 2002, the registration numbers are affected by the change in the registration periods for adults and children. Also, the figures do not include patients attending the dental access centres which opened during the period and whose patients are not registered.
	Patients wishing to register with a GDS dentist can obtain details of dentists accepting new patients by contacting NHS Direct.
	Monthly waiting list information for the Shrewsbury dental access centre is not collected.
	
		General Dental Service: Number of registrations in Shropshire Health Authority area at 30 September 1997 to 2002
		
			 At 30 September Number of patients registered(45) 
		
		
			 1997 217,700 
			 1998 191,000 
			 1999 187,000 
			 2000 186,000 
			 2001 179,800 
			 2002 182,300 
		
	
	(45) The registration number for September 1997 is not comparable with the later figures because of the change in the registration periods.

NHS Posts (Salaries)

Michael Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will which NHS posts in Kent are paid a salary in excess of £100,000.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 23 January 2003
	For reasons of data protection I am unable to provide a list, but there were 34 employees, excluding board members, in national health service trusts in Kent who received remuneration in excess of £100,000 in 2001–02. The remuneration includes gross salaries and wages, allowances for expenses and monetary value of benefits in kind.
	The Government are committed to fair pay for all NHS staff. It recognises that the NHS needs good managers. Consequently guidance on managerial pay increases has been issued to the NHS in each of the past five years. This has taken into account increases in pay for other NHS staff as well as other relevant factors such as recruitment and retention. Local NHS employers have been advised to interpret the guidance appropriately and be able to justify decisions.

NHS Staff Assaults

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many sick days were taken by NHS staff last year as a result of being assaulted by patients.

John Hutton: Information on levels of sickness absence resulting from work-related injuries or violence at work is not collected centrally, but may be held at a local level by individual national health service employers.

NHS Trusts (Shropshire)

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the budget overspend was in each year since 1997 in each Shropshire NHS trust.

David Lammy: The information requested is shown in the table.
	
		Underspends/overspends for Shropshire trusts: 1997–98 to 2001–02
		
			  £000 Cumulative 
		
		
			  Robert Jones & Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust 
			 1997–98 -3 -3 
			 1998–99 3 0 
			 1999–2000 0 0 
			 2000–01 0 0 
			 2001–02 9 9 
			
			 Princess Royal Hospital NHS Trust 
			 1997–98 153 153 
			 1998–99 30 183 
			 1999–2000 -826 -643 
			 2000–01 260 -383 
			 2001–02 -545 -928 
			
			 Royal Shrewsbury Hospitals NHS Trust 
			 1997–98 21 21 
			 1998–99 24 45 
			 1999–2000(46) -646 -502 
			 2000–01 607 105 
			 2001–02 -494 -389 
		
	
	(46) For 1999–2000 the cumulative position was amended due to a technical adjustment Note:
	A minus figure represents an overspend

NHS Trusts (Surrey)

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what allocation of strategic capital Surrey NHS trusts have received in the current financial year.

Hazel Blears: Total strategic capital earmarked for Surrey trusts in 2002–03 was £8.8 million.
	Of this, Ashford & St. Peters National Health Service Trust received £2.5 million, Surrey Oaklands NHS Trust £2 million and Surrey and Sussex Healthcare £4.3 million.

Nicotine Replacement Therapies

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his estimate is of the likely (a) fatal and (b) non-fatal side effects of Zyban if used for six months.

Hazel Blears: Zyban (bupropion hydrochloride) was licensed in June 2000 as an aid to smoking cessation in combination with motivational support in nicotine-dependent patients. The maximum treatment course authorised in the United Kingdom is seven to nine weeks. Zyban should not be used for six months and therefore it is not possible to give an estimate of the likely fatal and non-fatal side effects of Zyban if used for this period of time.
	Zyban is an effective aid to smoking cessation, and like all effective medicines is not without side effects. Since its launch in the United Kingdom, full guidance on prescribing and use, including possible side effects, have been present in the summary of product characteristics for health professionals and patient information leaflet for patients.
	The side effects that are recognised to occur more commonly, ie, could happen to more than one in 100 people, in association with Zyban are non-serious including insomnia, urticaria, rash, headache, dizziness and nausea. Serious side effects do occur in association with Zyban, albeit rarely. These include seizures (fits or convulsions) which occur with an incidence of approximately 0.1 per cent., (one in 1,000) and hypertension and severe hypersensitivity reactions (which may occur in between one in 1,000 and one in 10,000 people taking Zyban). Of these, seizures and severe hypersensitivity reactions are potentially life threatening.

Nurses (Recruitment)

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 25 November 2002, Official Report, column 136W, regarding ethical foreign nurse recruitment, how he plans to inform (a) NHS organisations, (b) overseas Governments, (c) overseas nurses and (d) other interested parties, of agencies that have been reported by the Workforce Development, Confederation for failure to adhere to the code of practice.

John Hutton: holding answer 2 December 2002
	Where reported breaches of the code of practice are substantiated the agency will be removed from the list of agencies who are compliant with the code of practice that the Department of Health publicises.

Nursing and Residential Homes (Shropshire)

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many places there were in (a) nursing and (b) residential homes for pensioners in each year since 1997 in (i) Shrewsbury and Atcham and (ii) Shropshire.

Jacqui Smith: Information on the number of places in nursing and residential homes in Shrewsbury and Atcham is not available.
	Information on the number of places for adults aged 65 and over in Shropshire at 31 March each year from 1997 to 2001 is shown in the table. Data for 2002 are not yet available.
	
		Residential and nursing care home places for older people(47) in Shropshire(48), 1997–2001 -- Number of places
		
			   Residential care  
			 As at 31 March Nursing care Shropshire including Telford and Wrekin Telford and Wrekin Shropshire excluding Telford and Wrekin 
		
		
			 1997 (49)— 2,200 (49)— (49)— 
			 1998 1,710 3,190 (49)— (49)— 
			 1999 1,710 2,590 460 2,130 
			 2000 1,740 2,460 420 2,040 
			 2001 1,640 2,440 460 1,970 
		
	
	(47) People aged 65 or more.
	(48) Residential data refers to Shropshire County for 1997 and 1998. Data for 1999 onwards are presented separately and combined for Shropshire County Council and Telford and Wrekin Unitary Authority.
	Nursing data refer to Shropshire Health Authority.
	(49) Data not available.
	Note:
	Nursing care places includes beds in private hospitals and clinics.

Nutrition

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much he is planning to spend on the promotion of nutritional issues in the next 12 months and how much he spent in each of the last five years.

Hazel Blears: The Department of Health's spending plans for 2003–04 for programmes that aim to improve nutrition, including provision and promotion, have not yet been finalised. The Department plans to have spent £130 million in 2002–03, and spent £106 million in 2001–02, £108 million in 2000–01, £114 million in 1999–2000, and £118 million in 1998–99. This comprises the Welfare Foods programme, which is the largest single element; contributions to the Five-a-day programme and the National School Fruit Scheme, the main costs of both of which are at present met by the New Opportunities Fund; the Food in Schools programme; grants to charities promoting nutrition; and support for infant feeding. In addition, initiatives to promote nutrition have been funded by health action zones, sure start, healthy living centres, and through general funding allocations to the national health service.

Osteoporosis (Hull and East Riding)

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of fracture patients aged over 50 received an osteoporosis risk assessment in (a) Hull and the East Riding and (b) England and Wales, in the last two quarters for which figures are available.

Jacqui Smith: Information about identifying those at risk of osteoporosis was included in the Department's "Strategy to prevent fractures caused by osteoporosis", which was issued to all health authorities in 1998. This was based on the Royal College of Physicians' clinical guidelines for strategies to prevent and treat osteoporosis.
	Osteoporosis, a condition characterised by a reduction in bone mass and density increases the risk of fracture when an older person falls. The development and implementation of integrated falls services, incorporating the identification of osteoporosis are covered in the national service framework for older people. This, when set in the context of the national priorities guidance establishes it as a high priority for local action and delivery. It provides the basis for a service model that will deliver the improvements in prevention, care, treatment and rehabilitation of those at risk of injury from falls.
	Information on the percentage of fracture patients over 50 years of age who have received an osteoporosis risk assessment is not available centrally.

Palliative Care

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many vacancies there are for palliative care consultants in (a) Lancashire, (b) the North West of England and (c) England.

Jacqui Smith: The figures for palliative care consultant vacancies are shown in the table.
	
		
			  Three month vacancy rate (percentage) Three month vacancy (number) Staff in post (whole time equivalent) Staff in post (headcount) 
		
		
			 England 5.2 7 118 152 
			 North West region 7.7 1 12 16 
			 Former North East Lancashire Health Authority (50)— 0 (51)— (51)— 
			 Former North West Lancashire Health Authority (52)— 0 0 0 
			 Former South Lancashire Health Authority (52)— 0 0 0 
		
	
	(50) Figures where sum of staff in post vacancies is less than 10.
	(51) Number is greater then 0 and less than five to prevent breaches of the data protection act.
	(52) Figures where sum of staff in post and vacancies is zero.
	Key notes:
	1. Three month vacancy information is as at 31 March 2002.
	2. Three month vacancies are vacancies which trusts are actively trying to fill, which had lasted for three months or more (whole time equivalents).
	3. Three month vacancy rates are three month vacancies expressed as a percentage of three month vacancies plus staff in post.
	4. Three month vacancy rates are calculated using staff in post Consultant Census, March 2002.
	5. Staff in post data are from Mini Consultant Census, March 2002.
	6. Staff in post data exclude staff employed by health authorities, as vacancy information was only collected from Trusts, PCTs and Special Health Authorities.
	7. Medical and dental figures exclude staff in training.
	8. Vacancy and staff in post numbers are rounded to the nearest whole number.
	9. Percentages are rounded to one decimal place.
	Other notes:
	10. Due to rounding, totals may not equal the sum of component part.
	11. Due to the rounding, calculating the vacancy rates using the above data may not equal the actual vacancy rates.
	12. HA figures are based on Trusts, and do not necessarily reflect the geographical.
	Sources:
	Vacancy numbers and rates:
	1. Department of Health Vacancies Survey March 2002.
	2. Department of Health Consultant Census March 2002.
	Medical and Dental staff in post:
	3. Department of Health Consultant Census March 2002.

PCTs

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what account is taken of the age profile of the population in fixing financial allocations to PCTs.

John Hutton: We allocate funding to primary care trusts on the basis of the relative needs of their populations. A weighted capitation formula is used to determine each primary care trust's target share of available resources, which then inform allocations.
	The age profile of the population is taken into account through age weightings within the formula. The age weightings reflect the variations in the need for healthcare arising from the age structure of the local population.

Performance Ratings

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to review the criteria for the annual performance rating for hospitals.

John Hutton: holding answer 2 December 2002
	The criteria for the 2002–03 performance ratings will be reviewed by the Commission for Health Improvement (CHI) which will be responsible for future publications of national health service performance ratings. CHI will recommend suitable sets of indicators to criteria agreed by Ministers, in line with priorities and targets that have been set by Government for the health service.

Prescription Charges

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the likely cost impact on prescribing conventional medicines following the changes to the range of traditional herbal medicines available in the UK.

Hazel Blears: We anticipate that, if agreed, the proposed Directive on Traditional Herbal Medicinal Products would lead to a substantial expansion in the availability of herbal remedies made to assured standards of safety and quality and accompanied by systematic information about safe use of the product. This would extend the options available for members of the public wishing to take responsibility for their own health and in particular would help the public to make an informed choice of a remedy appropriate to their needs.
	We also agree with the views expressed by many in the herbal sector that the proposed directive could lead to increased public confidence in traditional herbal remedies, which could lead to a beneficial effect on the market.
	Given an extension of products made to assured standards, we would expect a reduction in the risk of members of the public requiring medical treatment, including prescribed orthodox medicines, as a direct result of taking poorly labelled unlicensed herbal remedies inappropriate to their needs or containing dangerous or illegal ingredients.
	Overall, there are likely to be many factors affecting the usage of traditional herbal remedies and there will also continue to be many other factors affecting expenditure on prescribed orthodox medicines.

Primary Care

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what account was taken of inherited deficit in fixing future financial allocations for primary care trusts.

John Hutton: We allocate resources to primary care trusts on the basis of the relative needs of their populations. A weighted capitation formula is used to determine each primary care trust's target share of available resources.

Public Services (Isle of Wight)

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his statement of 14 January, Official Report, column 662, on public services on the Isle of Wight, if he will make a further statement on issues related to the King Edward VII Hospital that the honourable Member for Tottenham was discussing when the House adjourned.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 21 January 2003
	My hon. Friend's speech would have concluded with the words:
	"There remains no lack of commitment on behalf of the National Health Service, who will continue to work with all parties to ensure the continuity of care for NHS patients. The NHS remains prepared to continue with its current commitment to the hospital, which is in excess of £3.4 million per annum."

Runaway Children (Counselling)

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will issue guidelines on standards of counselling for children who run away from home.

Jacqui Smith: The recent Department of Health guidance, "Children Missing from Care and from Home—a guide to good practice" (November 2002), provides recommendations that a young person or child who goes missing from home may be a child in need and, where appropriate, should have access to an initial assessment provided by the local authority.
	This assessment must conform to the requirements of the framework for the assessment of children in need and their families. It should evaluate the risks if a young person were to go missing again and whether or not they and their families might be appropriately offered local support services—such as mediation or counselling.

Social Services, Battersea

Martin Linton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many adults resident in Battersea pay for non-residential social services; and how many will no longer have to pay after April 2003.

Jacqui Smith: The information requested is not held centrally.
	The Department issued statutory guidance to local councils for home care charges in November 2001. This guidance does not seek to change councils' power to charge or not, but seeks to ensure that, where councils do charge, this will be based on fairer well designed charging policies. An important principle of the guidance is that people whose incomes fall below basic levels of income support plus a 25 per cent. buffer will not be charged for their home care services.

Specialised Services Commissioning

Richard Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the progress primary care trusts in England are making with preparations for the commissioning of specialised services, with particular reference to those for (a) genito-urinary medicine and (b) haemophilia.

Hazel Blears: Since April 2002 primary care trusts have been responsible for securing health services for their local populations, including the commissioning of specialised services. Regional specialised commissioning groups, whose former health authority members have now been replaced by PCT members, are continuing to exist during 2002–03, to ensure stability and continuity, as are existing consortia arrangements including previously agreed financial commitments and programmes of service reviews.
	Responses to the ministerial review on specialised services are now being considered and guidance will be issued shortly on commissioning arrangements for 2003–04 onwards. Haemophilia and HIV treatment and care services will be covered by these arrangements. Genito-urinary medicine (GUM) services are not covered by regional specialist commissioning groups as they are not specialised services. However we have recently issued a Sexual Health and HIV Commissioning Toolkit to support those commissioning and providing sexual health and HIV services including GUM.

Stroke Care

Michael Jack: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish a definition of what constitutes a specialist stroke unit; which acute hospitals (a) have such a unit and (b) are without such a unit; and which hospitals have plans approved and fully funded to open such a unit before the end of 2004.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 22 January 2003
	The term "specialist stroke unit" is used to describe hospital based acute care and rehabilitation services designed specifically for people who have had a stroke. A range of elements are associated with such units, in particular a complex multidisciplinary process of assessment, early management and ongoing rehabilitation. We do not routinely collect information about acute hospitals with and without such units.
	The Sentinel Audit, carried out by the clinical effectiveness and evaluation unit of the Royal College of Physicians and led by the intercollegiate working party for stroke does collect this information but it is anonymous and cannot be used to identify particular hospitals.
	The priorities and planning framework for 2003–6 requires all hospitals who care for people who have had a stroke to have specialist stroke services, which include specialist hospital based services, by April 2004. From monitoring against the April 2002 milestones for the national service framework, we know that well over 80 per cent, of such hospitals plan to have a specialist stroke service in place by April 2004.

Stroke Care

Michael Jack: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what plans his Department has to improve (a) diagnosis, (b) treatment and (c) post-discharge support for stroke victims suffering from depression;
	(2)  what plans are in place to enable health service staff to receive training enabling them to screen stroke victims for depression.

Jacqui Smith: In March 2001 the Department published the national service framework (NSF) for older people. This includes a standard on stroke. It sets out a comprehensive strategy to ensure fair, high quality integrated health and social care and reduce variations in services.
	The priorities and planning framework for 2003–06 requires all hospitals who care for people who have had a stroke to have specialist stroke services, which include specialist hospital based services, by April 2004. From monitoring against the April 2002 milestones for the NSF, we know that well over 80 per cent. of such hospitals plan to have a specialist stroke service in place by April 2004.
	By April this year every hospital which cares for older people with stroke will have established clinical audit systems to ensure delivery of the Royal College of Physician's clinical guidelines for stroke. These guidelines include the assessing and treatment of depression.

Statutory Instruments

Patsy Calton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many Statutory Instruments subject to negative procedure made by his Department (a) came into force and (b) were considered by a delegated legislation committee in each of the last three sessions.

David Lammy: The information requested is shown in the table.
	
		
			 Number of Statutory Instruments that came into force for each session Number of Statutory Instruments that were considered by a designated legislation committee  
		
		
			 1999–2000 224 1999–2000 3 
			 2000–01 274 2000–01 1 
			 2001–02 503 2001–02 5

Surgical Equipment

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the total amount of surgical equipment disposed of each year; and what steps are being taken to recycle this equipment.

Hazel Blears: The Department does not hold central figures on the amount of surgical equipment disposed of each year.
	Each national health service trust decides how to dispose of its surgical equipment. The NHS takes into account health and safety issues, such as risk of cross-infection when recycling or reselling surgical equipment. These issues include the possibility of the transfer of infections such as vCJD, HIV, hepatitis and the need for ensuring that staff using the equipment are properly trained.
	The risks associated with the re-selling of surgical instruments could well outweigh any potential cost savings.
	The Medical Devices Agency has issued guidelines entitled "DB9801 Supplement 2 Guidance on the sale, transfer of ownership and disposal of used medical devices". The key points addressed in the guidance are:
	Transfer of ownership (sale or donation).
	Decommissioning.
	Disposal as waste.

Transitional Care Beds

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many transitional care beds have been created in each of the last three years in (a) each trust and (b) England;
	(2)  if he will set out his definition of transitional care beds.

Jacqui Smith: In previous years, a number of health and social care partnerships have used additional winter funding to create extra capacity in so-called transitional care. Essentially, this is short-term, temporary or "step down" care where people are cared for before they move on to the setting where they will receive any long-term care they need. The Department does not collect data on the number of transitional care beds.

Waiting Times

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the latest available waiting times are to receive a first consultant appointment following referral by a GP in each Trust area.

John Hutton: Information on the number of outpatients waiting, following a general practitioner written referral who have yet to be seen at national health service trusts in England as at 30 September 2002, has been placed in the Library.

DEFENCE

Paper Supplies

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence who are the suppliers of (a) paper and (b) paper products used by his Department.

Lewis Moonie: The Ministry of Defence uses a wide range of paper and paper products. Our current principal suppliers are:
	Astron Document Services Ltd
	Astron Group Ltd
	Banner Business Supplies Ltd
	WHBradyCoLtd
	Canon (UK) Ltd
	Duni Ltd
	Hutamaki (UK) Ltd
	Kimberley Clark Ltd
	NRG Group Ltd
	Oce Ltd
	Pitney Bowes Management Services Ltd
	Plastico Ltd
	Norprint Labelling Systems Ltd
	SCA Packaging Ltd
	Supplies Team Ltd
	United Tools Distributors Ltd
	Vemacare Ltd

Afghanistan (Armed Forces)

Mike Wood: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the strength is of British armed forces in Afghanistan.

Adam Ingram: The United Kingdom contributes around 300 United Kingdom Service personnel to the International Security Assistance Force in Kabul.

Aircraft Crash (Mehamn)

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the opening by the Norwegian Government of a new inquiry into allegations that an RAF Harrier was involved in the crash of a civilian Twin Otter aircraft near Mehamn in Norway in 1982.

Lewis Moonie: Earlier inquiries in 1982 and 1987 into this civil air accident were both satisfied that no fighter aircraft were in the vicinity at the time of the accident. We will offer every assistance to the new inquiry set up by the Norwegian Government if requested to do so. No terms of reference for the inquiry have yet been announced.

Animal Welfare

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many animal experiments, broken down by (a) recorded category and (b) species, were carried out at Porton Down in each year since 1997.

Lewis Moonie: holding answer 27 January 2003
	Dstl Porton Down submits annual returns to the Home Office detailing the number of procedures undertaken which involve the use of animals as defined in the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.
	For the years 1997 to 2001 the returns broken down by the recorded category of primary purpose, as defined by the Home Office are detailed in the table:
	
		
			  Year  
			 Primary purpose 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 
		
		
			 Fundamental biological research 6,052 6,702 7,265 7,193 7,074 
			 Applied studies—human medicine 4,763 4,199 4,147 4,641 5,674 
			 Protection of man, animals or environment by toxicological or other safety or environmental evaluation(53) 0 0 9 0 108 
			 Education 2 3 7 3 0 
			 Training 2 0 0 2 0 
			 Direct diagnosis 137 187 73 146 99 
			 Total 10,956 11,091 11,501 11,985 12,955 
		
	
	(53) Excluding medical or veterinary products or appliances
	In the years 1997 to 2001 the annual returns to the Home Office, broken down by species are detailed below:
	
		
			 Species 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 
		
		
			 Guinea pig 1,109 1,039 636 636 727 
			 Ferret 0 30 0 0 0 
			 Hamster 396 222 144 24 0 
			 Mouse 8,569 7,477 10,144 10,856 11,944 
			 Pig 85 96 84 106 23 
			 Rabbit 31 48 10 19 23 
			 Rat 717 1,999 410 350 125 
			 Goat 2 22 0 0 0 
			 Sheep 17 30 13 9 45 
			 Primate 30 128 60 34 68 
			 Total 10,956 11,091 11,501 11,985 12,955 
		
	
	The figures for 2002 are expected to be available in late February.

Annual Report

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much producing his Department's latest Annual Report cost; how many copies were printed; how many copies of it were sold at its cover price; to whom copies of the report have been provided free of charge; and how many copies were provided free of charge.

Lewis Moonie: Production of the Ministry of Defence's annual Performance Report 2001–02 (Cm 5661) drew on performance management information collected within the Department for a variety of purposes. Its production involved a large number of people across the Department, and it is not therefore possible to calculate the cost without incurring disproportionate expense.
	Decisions on print runs are a commercial matter for The Stationery Office Limited (TSO), who handle publication of the Report and who meet the costs of printing and publication.
	The Ministry of Defence bought 650 copies and an electronic version from TSO at a cost of £8,536.25. All of the MOD's copies are distributed free of charge, the majority within the Department, but about 175 to other Government Departments, other nations, Parliament or the Press. ISO inform me that, as at 21 January 2003, they had sold a further 234 copies. The Report is also available on the MOD website (www.mod.uk).

Armed Forces (Deployments)

Mike Wood: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the 10 largest current deployments of British armed forces broken down by country.

Adam Ingram: The 10 largest deployments of the British armed forces on operations or involved in military tasks outside the United Kingdom are currently in (largest first) Cyprus, Kosovo, Bosnia, Falkland Islands, Kuwait, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Gibraltar and Turkey. There are also sizeable numbers of British Army personnel permanently based in Germany and deployed on operations in Northern Ireland.

Asset Tracking

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what improvements have been made to (a) his Department's asset tracking capabilities since April 2002 and (b) its ability to measure the re-supply targets for orders placed by units.

Adam Ingram: Since April 2002, the Department has taken a number of steps to improve both the ability to track consignments and to measure the performance of our re-supply systems including the procurement of an interim system which will improve our consignment tracking capability and ability to measure the achievement of delivery targets, and facilitate better operations with coalition partners. In the longer term we are developing a programme which will consolidate the information from individual systems through the Department and further improve consignment tracking within the supply chain.

Combat 95 Clothing

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the armed forces indicated when last questioned that they were satisfied with their Combat 95 clothing; what percentage of respondents this represents; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many soldiers indicated when last questioned that they were (a) satisfied and (b) unsatisfied with Combat 95 clothing; what percentage of respondents this represents; what comments were made about the clothing; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: The numbers of Army personnel indicating in their answers to the Continuous Attitude Survey (CAS) published in August 2002 that they were either satisfied or dissatisfied with their Combat 95 clothing was as follows:
	
		
			  Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied  
			  Number Percentage Number Percentage Number Percentage 
		
		
			 Officers 252 70 57 15 53 15 
			 Soldiers 674 46 267 18 531 36 
		
	
	The CAS contained no question asking for specific comments about Combat 95 clothing.

Computer Misuse

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many cases of computer misuse there were in his Department in each of the last five years, broken down by each category of misuse; and how many of those cases resulted in disciplinary action.

Lewis Moonie: In the last five years, the following instances of computer misuse were recorded across Defence:
	
		
			   Unauthorised access to computer material  Unauthorised access with intent to commit or facilitate commission of further offences  Unauthorised modification of computer material  
			  Incidents Disciplined Incidents Disciplined Incidents Disciplined 
		
		
			 1998 1 1 0 0 0 0 
			 1999 4 2 5 0 3 0 
			 2000 6 1 1 1 3 1 
			 2001 10 0 0 0 2 1 
			 2002 5 0 1 0 1 0 
		
	
	The totals for disciplinary action are only those recorded at the time of the incident; there may have been subsequent action, but such numbers are not readily available under current reporting arrangements, and such additional information could be provided only at disproportionate cost. A new system of reporting is being introduced with effect from 1 April 2003. This will enable detailed data to be retrieved more readily in future years.

Departmental Houses

David Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of his Department's houses were sold last year in the United Kingdom.

Lewis Moonie: During the period January to December 2002, sales were completed for a total of 477 residential properties.

Departmental Running Costs

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the running costs of (a) the Department and (b) each of its sponsored agencies were in (i) 1997 and (ii) the most recent year for which figures are available.

Lewis Moonie: The running costs of the Ministry of Defence as a whole were £14,770 million in 1997–98. This figure is the net expenditure included in the Appropriation Account for that year, excluding systems procurement expenditure in the Procurement Executive (now the Defence Procurement Agency). It is cash based and includes expenditure on military and civilian personnel costs, movements, stores and spares, research and works services.
	In accordance with the Government Resource Accounting Act 2000, the Department's financial performance is now reported to Parliament in the Consolidated Departmental Resource Accounts.
	The net operating cost of the MOD as a whole, as reported in the 2001–02 Departmental Resource Account, was £32,239 million. This figure is on a resource basis and includes military and civilian personnel costs, property management and equipment support costs, stock consumption, depreciation, impairment on fixed assets and cost of capital charges.
	Information on agencies' expenditure is contained in the Annual Report and Accounts of each agency, copies of which have been placed in the Library of the House.

Departmental Staff

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many full-time equivalent staff are employed in (a) the Department and (b) each of the agencies it sponsors; and what the figures were for 1997.

Lewis Moonie: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him on 16 January 2003, Official Report, column 697W, by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Cabinet Office.

Desert Equipment

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what Desert Equipment has been issued; and to which elements of British armed forces.

Geoff Hoon: We have been taking a range of preparatory measures to ensure that our Armed Forces have all the equipment they need to do any tasks required of them.
	I am withholding information on equipment numbers and the units to which they are being issued in accordance with Exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Exercise Saif Sareea

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the (a) cost of recovery and (b) amount written off as a result of the return, inspection and recovery of tents issued to Oman during Exercise Saif Sareea II.

Adam Ingram: The cost of recovering the tentage from Exercise Saif Sareea II was £512,000. Tent writes-off amounted to £103,000. The refurbishment of tentage cost some £1.9 million. Had we decided to leave the tentage in theatre and replace it, the cost would have been around £9.5 million. The decision to return and refurbish represented good value for money.

Fleet Air Arm

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the (a) target and (b) actual recruitment figures have been for Fleet Air Arm (i) pilots and (ii) other personnel in each of the past five years.

Lewis Moonie: The target and actual recruitment figures for the Fleet Air Arm broken down by pilot and other personnel is each of the past five years is as follows:
	
		
			   1998–99  1999–2000   2000–01   2001–02   2002–03  
			  Target Actual Target Actual Target Actual Target Actual Target Actual 
		
		
			 Officers   
			 Pilots 45 42 36 36 40 36 48 48 45 50 
			 Observers 37 34 30 29 24 23 30 27 34 34 
			 ATC 12 7 11 7 7 7 6 6 6 5 
			
			 Ratings   
			 AEM 282 287 312 312 188 181 232 235 298 310 
			 NA(AH) 43 42 39 37 11 11 38 39 51 55 
			 NA(SE) 29 29 20 22 18 18 18 15 19 20 
			 NA(Met) 5 5 5 5 6 6 14 14 9 9 
		
	
	ATC—Air Traffic Controllers
	AEM—Air Engineering Mechanics
	NA(AH)—Naval Airman (Aircraft Handler)
	NA(SE)—Naval Airman (Survival Equipment)
	NA(Met)—Naval Airman (Meteorological)
	Notes:
	1. Figures for 1997–98 not available at level of detail.
	2. 1998–99 Fleet Air Arm officer Sub-branch figures estimated—total officer
	figure correct.
	3. Artificers have not been included as they are not streamed until further into
	their training.

Ground Proximity Warning Systems

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many RAF aircraft have been fitted with ground proximity warning systems, (a) in total and (b) by aircraft type; and if he plans that the successor to Hawk trainers will be fitted with GPWS.

Adam Ingram: The following table shows the number of RAF aircraft that were fitted with Ground Proximity Warning Systems as at 20 January:
	
		
			 Aircraft type Number of aircraft fitted ground protection warning system 
		
		
			 BAe 146 Mk 2 2 
			 C-17 4 
			 Harrier GR7 28 
			 Hercules C130J 25 
			 Hercules C130K 1 
			 Jaguar GR3/3a 45 
			 Jaguar T4 12 
			 Tornado F3 24 
			 Tornado GR4 130 
			 Tristar 9 
			 Total 268 
		
	
	The Advanced Jet Trainer for the Military Flying Training System, to which I assume the hon Member is referring, is intended to be fitted with a Ground Protection Warning System.

Health and Safety

Helen Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department and its agencies have met the commitment arising from Action Point 13 of the June 2000 strategy statement on Revitalising Health and Safety, to summarise health and safety performance and plans in annual reports from the year 2000–01 onwards.

Lewis Moonie: The Ministry of Defence has since 1999–2000 published an annual report by the Chief Environment and Safety Officer Ministry of Defence (CESO(MOD)) indicating the progress made on health and safety issues, including performance and forthcoming initiatives in the Department. This includes all agencies in the Ministry of Defence, as CESO(MOD) has a remit from my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to monitor their activities. The report is reviewed by the Defence Environment and Safety Board (DESB), which I chair, and when accepted by the DESB, it is published on the world wide web for public information.

Health and Safety

Helen Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which senior officials within his Department and its agencies take responsibility for health and safety at board or equivalent level; and where their names are publicised.

Lewis Moonie: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence is the responsible person for health and safety in the Ministry of Defence. This is identified in the Ministry of Defence Policy Statement (July 2000) for the Management of Safety and Environmental Protection. Within the policy, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State appoints the Second Permanent Under-Secretary as the Senior Manager for the Defence Council to be responsible for MOD policy, standards, and where appropriate, regulations. As Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, I am appointed to act as Green Minister and Chair the Defence Environment and Safety Board. This role provides direction, sets objectives and monitors the Department's performance on environment and safety matters
	The tasks required to discharge the Secretary of State's responsibilities are delegated to members of the Defence Council and to Chief Executives of Defence Trading Fund Agencies. They are required to produce their own Organisation and Arrangements Statement for health and safety, linked to the Secretary of State policy. The separate statements identify a Management Board member from their organisation who has a health and safety role. The Heads of the organisation will have ultimate accountability for health and safety in their organisation. The names of the persons with specific health and safety duties are identified in each of the Organisational Statements produced. These persons are identified by post rather than an individual's name.

Health and Safety

Helen Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information he has collated on the application to his Department and its agencies of the checklist, circulated by letter by Sir Richard Mottram, referred to under Action Point 12 of the Revitalising Health and Safety strategy statement; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: The Ministry of Defence accepted the checklist circulated by Sir Richard Mottram under Action Point 12 of the initiative of Revitalising Health and Safety. The checklist was assessed against the Ministry of Defence safety management system, and as a result, policy changes were made and the objectives contained in the checklist were integrated into the MOD's Safety Environment and Fire Audit Methodology. The MOD had already adopted the Health and Safety Executive guidance, Successful Heath and Safety Management (HSG 65), into its safety management system and the impact of the checklist was minimal.
	The checklist was circulated to each of the Service and Trading Fund Agency safety focus, to review their own arrangements.

Health Care

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many soldiers when last questioned indicated that they were (a) unsatisfied and (b) satisfied with (i) military health care, (ii) waiting lists, (iii) remedial treatment and (iv) health care for their family; what percentage of respondents this represents; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: Continuous Attitude Surveys (CAS) do not ask how satisfied or dissatisfied soldiers are with Military Healthcare per se. Instead, more specific questions are asked eg relating to waiting lists, remedial treatment and healthcare for the family. Responses given in the CAS published in August 2002 were as follows.
	
		
			   Satisfied  Neutral  Dissatisfied 
			  Number Percentage Number Percentage Number Percentage 
		
		
			 Waiting lists  
			 Officers 152 43 79 23 119 34 
			 Soldiers 720 50 419 29 297 21 
			
			 Remedial treatment  
			 Officers 162 47 71 21 112 32 
			 Soldiers 703 50 433 31 273 19 
			
			 Healthcare for family  
			 Officers 49 19 86 34 118 47 
			 Soldiers 315 30 430 42 290 28

Housing Stock

David Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much investment was made by his Department in housing stock in 2002 in (a) the United Kingdom and (b) other countries, broken down by country.

Lewis Moonie: The investment made in housing stock has been interpreted to mean expenditure on service family accommodation upgrades and new build, falling within the capital departmental expenditure limit (DEL), which for financial year 2001–02 outturn was as follows:
	
		
			 Country Outturn for FY 2001–02 (£ million) 
		
		
			 United Kingdom 27.162 
			 Germany 0.481 
			 Gibraltar 1.497 
			 Cyprus 10.771 
		
	
	The figure for the UK excludes some £54 million, which falls within the resource DEL, which was spent by the Defence Housing Executive on its upgrade programme. Details of expenditure in financial year 2002–03 are not currently available.

Housing Stock

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many empty homes his Department (a) had five years ago and (b) has now, by region; if he will establish an empty homes strategy within his Department; and if he will set a target for reduction in empty homes.

Lewis Moonie: On 1 April 1998 the Defence Housing Executive (DHE) had 13,235 vacant properties. By 1 April 2002 the numbers of voids had reduced to 8,852. A breakdown, by DHE region, follows:
	
		
			  1998 2002 
		
		
			 Eastern 2,920 1,762 
			 Western 1,421 1,176 
			 South East Central 1,492 1,312 
			 South East North 2,094 743 
			 South East South 1,605 1,369 
			 South West 2,480 1,785 
			 Scotland 1,223 705 
			 Total 13,235 8,852 
		
	
	To provide timely accommodation for service personnel and to allow for the high mobility of service life, DHE's long-term strategy is to operate with a management margin of no more than 10 per cent. of vacant properties. The welfare of military personnel and their families is paramount: requiring families to move mid-tour to facilitate property disposals is unpopular and could ultimately affect morale and retention. Maintaining a reasonable management margin allows DHE to keep these moves to a minimum. Unlike the situation with many other housing providers, turnover of occupants is generally high, and it would be inappropriate to keep void rates very low by using waiting lists and temporary accommodation such as bed and breakfast.
	One of the key targets set for DHE is to reduce the management margin progressively towards 10 per cent. by November 2005. A policy of continuous review of all quarters has secured the disposal of nearly 11,000 properties in the last three years. In accordance with wider Government policy, properties that are temporarily surplus but held for known future deployments are offered to registered social landlords, local authorities, and more recently to key workers from the fire, police, prison, NHS, and education services.

International Criminal Court

Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the impact of the UK's ratification of the Statute of the International Criminal Court on UK forces' scope for action in the event of any military intervention in Iraq.

Adam Ingram: The offences contained in the Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) reflect international law provisions that were already applicable to the conduct of United Kingdom forces in any theatre of engagement. The ICC Statute does not therefore impose new conditions.
	The consequences for our forces of UK ratification of the ICC Statute were carefully examined in preparation for the ICC Act 2001. Under the Statute, investigation and, if necessary prosecution of any allegations of war crimes, crimes against humanity or genocide by a UK national would be carried out by the UK. The Court would intervene only if it determined that a state was unwilling or unable to pursue a particular case, but it is inconceivable that the UK would ever be unable or unwilling to investigate or take appropriate action.

Iraq

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the number of Iraqi civilian casualties that could arise from a war against Iraq.

Adam Ingram: No decision on military action in Iraq has been taken. In any military action it is our policy, consistent with international law, to avoid civilian casualties and damage to infrastructure wherever possible, and to minimise them where they cannot be avoided.

Iraq

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with (a) France and (b) Germany on (i) co-operation in military action against Iraq and (ii) a European Union military force against Iraq.

Geoff Hoon: There has been no decision to take military action against Iraq. I have not discussed with my French or German colleagues bilateral co-operation, or any European Security and Defence Policy operation, in that context. Military action in Iraq is neither imminent nor inevitable.

Iraq

John Lyons: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether British troops have been given orders in relation to protection of oil fields in Iraq.

Geoff Hoon: No decision has been taken to commit British forces to military action against Iraq. It would not be appropriate to comment on any tasks that might be undertaken by our forces in the event of military operations.

MOD Police

Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Ministry of Defence police officers will be surplus to requirement at (a) Salisbury Plain Army Training Estate, (b) Boscombe Down and (c) DSTL Porton Down when Landmarc Support Services commence their strategic partnership; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: Ministry of Defence police (MDP) numbers are kept under constant review. However, there will be no reduction of MDP personnel in the Salisbury Plain area when Landmarc Support Services undertake the contract to provide assistance with the upkeep of the Army Training Estate.

Naval Helicopters

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on (a) the current and (b) the future projected roles of the Royal Navy's (i) Merlin, (ii) Sea King and (iii) Lynx helicopters.

Adam Ingram: The Royal Navy's Merlin Mark 1 helicopters provide an advanced anti-submarine search and attack capability, as well as wider utility in surface surveillance, Search and Rescue (SAR) and support roles. Merlin achieved its Initial Operating Capability deployed in HMS Ark Royal in June 2002, and has completed a successful embarkation in the Type 23 Frigate, HMS Lancaster. It will provide a crucial component of both open ocean and littoral operations for the foreseeable future.
	The Sea King has provided the backbone of the Royal Navy's anti-submarine capability over the last three decades, but is being progressively withdrawn from service as Merlin becomes operational. The Sea King Airborne Early Warning Mark 2 has been upgraded to Mark 7 to provide enhanced airborne surveillance and control for air defence into the next decade. The Sea King Mark 4, supplemented by the conversion of some Mark 6 aircraft, will continue to provide a support helicopter capability, primarily for three Commando Brigade Royal Marines, until the turn of the decade. The Sea King Mark 5 will provide a SAR capability well into the next decade.
	Lynx Mark 3 and Mark 8 aircraft provide surveillance and attack capability from assigned frigates and destroyers. This includes surface surveillance and targeting, anti-surface and anti-submarine weapon delivery, and battle damage assessment, as well as key elements of frigates' and destroyers' SAR, humanitarian support and constabulary capabilities. The Surface Combatant Maritime Rotorcraft (SCMR) will be phased into service during the second half of the decade to succeed and enhance the capability currently provided by the Lynx Mark 3 and Mark 8 helicopters.

Oil and Pipelines Agency

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place the latest report of the Oil and Pipelines Agency in the Library.

Lewis Moonie: The latest report of the Oil and Pipelines Agency was placed in the Library on 19 November 2002.

Pay Settlement

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the four year pay settlement reached with MOD employees.

Lewis Moonie: The Ministry of Defence has negotiated a four year pay settlement which includes significant reform in line with the Modernising Government agenda, introducing automatic pay progression and focusing performance related pay on bonuses. Similar agreements were negotiated with both industrial and non-industrial staff.

Press Releases

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many press releases have been issued by his Department in each (a) year and (b) quarter from 1995–96 to 2002–03; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: The number of press releases issued by the Ministry of Defence's central Press Office has been recorded by calendar year only for years 1995–96. Figures for the dates in question are:
	
		
			 Year Number 
		
		
			 1995 149 
			 1996 176 
			 1997(54) 160 
			 1998 238 
			 1999 282 
			 2000 224 
			 2001 159 
			 2002 151 
		
	
	(54) Data only available from 1 May onwards
	The number of press releases issued in each quarter from 1997 to 2002 is in the following table:
	
		
			  Quarter 1 Quarter 2 Quarter 3 Quarter 4 Total 
		
		
			 1997 n/a 25 44 91 160 
			 1998 72 67 56 43 238 
			 1999 75 67 56 84 282 
			 2000 44 48 69 63 224 
			 2001 53 29 38 39 159 
			 2002 40 31 39 41 151 
		
	
	Note:
	Figures by quarter for years before May 1997 are no longer available.
	In addition to the figures, the single services, the regional defence press offices and defence agencies issue their own press releases. They also re-issue some central press releases for local distribution. Accurate figures on these, which take account of any "duplicate releases", could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Private Finance Initiative

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what major (a) variations and (b) delays there have been to the Private Finance Initiative contract for the (i) Central Scotland Family Quarters, (ii) NRTA Fire Training, (iii) Army Foundation College, (iv) RAF Mail, (v) RAF Cosford/Shawbay Family Quarters, (vi) RAF Lossiemouth Family Quarters, (vii) Attack Helicopter Training and (viii) Light Aircraft Flying (LAFT) (Bulldog) since they were signed; what their cost has been; whether the partners in the PFI were required to meet these costs; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: Of the specified PFI contracts, only two of the projects have experienced significant changes as follows:
	Army Foundation College
	The capping of contaminated mounds on site has led to programme delays and increased construction costs. The Ministry of Defence granted a four-month extension to the contractor, the cost of which is not yet known as it is subject to on-going detailed negotiations. As the site owner, MOD will fund the costs. There were no delays to service provision, which has been provided throughout the construction phase.
	Attack Helicopter Training
	Information relating to the software integration delays and costs for the Full Mission Simulator training service can be found in the report by the Comptroller and Auditor General, "Building an Air Manoeuvre Capability: The Introduction of the Apache Helicopter", published on 31 October 2002 [HC1246, Session 2001–2002].

Reservists

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many reservists served in (a) the Gulf War, (b) Kosovo and (c) Afghanistan; and what percentage of those fit for active duty this represented at the time.

Lewis Moonie: As of 22 January, 588 reservists have served in support of operations in Afghanistan. This figure excludes a small number of RAF reservists who served in Afghanistan between 1 July 2002 and 22 January 2003 for which figures are currently unavailable. It is not possible to state what percentage of those reservists fit for active duty this represented as the state of health for members of the reserve forces changes from day to day. A reservist's fitness for active duty only becomes apparent either when they report for service or if they make an application for revocation, exemption or deferral of call-out based on their health.
	In the time available it has not been possible to collate information regarding the number of reservists who served in Kosovo or during the 1990–91 Gulf conflict as this is not held centrally.

Reservists

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) reservists and (b) medical reservists have responded to call-up notices; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: As at 21 January 180 reservists called-out to support Operation TELIC had reported for mobilisation of which 98 were accepted for service. None of these individuals were medical reservists.

Reservists

David Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what legal protection to return to their existing jobs is afforded to reservists called up by the armed forces; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: Reservists who are called out into permanent service benefit from employment protection under the Reserve Forces (Safeguard of Employment) Act 1985.Under Section 1 of that Act an employer must take into his or her employment, at the same conditions of service as they were previously serving, former employees who make a written application at the end of a period of called-out service. If this is not reasonable and practical, the Reservist must be reinstated on the most favourable terms of service available.
	Should an employer fail to reinstate a Reservist in accordance with the provisions of that Act, the Reservist may apply to a Reinstatement Committee to hear his case. The Reinstatement Committee can order the employer to reinstate the Reservist, or to pay compensation to him/her, or both. Failure to comply with an order of a Reinstatement Committee is a criminal offence, and an employer may be fined on summary conviction. Appeals by either the employer or the Reservist against the determination of the Reinstatement Committee may be made to an Umpire appointed by the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry.

Royal Marines

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the (a) target and (b) actual recruitment figures have been for the Royal Marines in each of the past five years.

Lewis Moonie: The target and actual recruitment figures for the Royal Marines in each of the past five years is as follows:
	
		
			  1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03  
			  Target Actual Target Actual Target Actual Target Actual Target Actual 
		
		
			  
			 Officers 36 35 36 39 44 45 61 61 52 54 
			 RMOR 1,155 1,048 1,155 1,148 1,155 1,117 1,155 1,159 1,155 1,175 
			 RMBS 24 21 31 26 31 25 27 25 29 29 
		
	
	Note:
	RMOR—Royal Marines other Ranks
	RMBS—Royal Marines Band Service

Royal Naval Reserve

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the (a) target and (b) actual figures have been for recruitment into (a) the Royal Naval Reserve and (b) the Royal Marines Reserve in each of the past five years.

Lewis Moonie: The target and actual figures for recruitment into the Royal Naval Reserve are recorded by financial year. The figures for the most recent five financial years are as follows:
	
		
			  Target Actual 
		
		
			 1998–99 650 445 
			 1999–2000 650 604 
			 2000–01 650 562 
			 2001–02 650 676 
			 2002–03 480 (55)410 
		
	
	(55) As at 31 December 2002
	The target and actual figures for recruitment into the Royal Marines Reserve are recorded by calendar year. The RMR figures for each of the last five years are as follows:
	
		
			  Target Actual 
		
		
			 1998–99 300 285 
			 1999–2000 300 328 
			 2000–01 300 260 
			 2001–02 300 288 
			 2002–03 300 225

Royal Naval Reserve

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  if he will make a statement on the role and structure of the Royal Naval Reserve;
	(2)  what assessment his Department has made of the changed roles of (a) the RNR and (b) the RMR since 11 September 2001.

Lewis Moonie: The Royal Naval Reserve (RNR) exists to provide a corps of readily available, highly trained personnel to enable the Royal Navy to meet its operational commitments in times of stretch, crisis, tension and war—including peacekeeping and humanitarian operations and disaster relief.
	The RNR is based upon 13 general-purpose Reserve Training Centres located throughout the United Kingdom. The majority of RNR Branches and Specialisations provide unique skill sets, which are not generally required in peacetime, but are used to augment the Fleet in times of crisis. The operational structure of the RNR has recently been updated to ensure that these requirements can be met. The structure comprises six branches, some of which cover a number of specialisations.
	Following the events of 11 September, my hon Friend the Secretary of State for Defence announced that the Ministry of Defence would look again at its defence posture to ensure that we have the right concepts, the right forces and the right capabilities to meet the additional challenges we face from international terrorism and asymmetric threat. He described this work as a New Chapter to the Strategic Defence Review published in 1998. This was presented to Parliament by my hon Friend the Secretary of State for Defence by Command of Her Majesty in July 2002.
	Following this review, there are no changes to the role of the Royal Naval Reserve. Neither have there been changes to the role of the RMR, which remains to reinforce the Royal Marines and other services as and when required with individuals and sub-units world-wide.

Royal Naval Reserve

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) professional and (b) voluntary personnel are in the Royal Naval Reserve.

Lewis Moonie: All members of the Royal Naval Reserve are volunteers. There were 3,222 volunteers as at 31 December 2002. There are 103 serving—i.e. regular armed forces—personnel and 13 Retired Officers employed in managing the RNR and training the volunteers.

Royal Navy

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what Royal Navy resources are allocated to meet commitments in (a) the Balkans, (b) Cyprus and (c) Sierra Leone.

Adam Ingram: There are currently fifty Royal Navy personnel in the Balkans. Two patrol craft, one rigid raiding craft and fifty RN or Royal Marine personnel are currently allocated to British Forces Cyprus. In Sierra Leone, three RN personnel are assigned to UNAMSIL and two RN personnel to the International Military Assistance and Training Team.

Royal Navy

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what Royal Navy resources are allocated to combating (a) piracy and (b) drug-trafficking; and in which theatres.

Adam Ingram: No Royal Navy assets are specifically allocated to combating piracy. International Maritime Law does however, place an obligation on any seafarer to assist others in distress if they are in a position to do so. RN ships would offer such assistance if appropriate. In areas where there is a known risk of piracy, RN warships would take this into consideration and adjust their own level of readiness accordingly.Again, there are no RN assets dedicated specifically to counter narcotics activities. Military Forces are, however, made available upon request, when operational commitments and resources allow, to support the counter drugs activities of the law enforcement agencies. In recent years, such assistance has been provided in the Caribbean, United Kingdom waters, Atlantic and the Arabian Sea.

Royal Navy

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what Royal Navy resources are allocated to training former Eastern Bloc countries' armed forces.

Lewis Moonie: The United Kingdom has pursued for several years an active programme of defence assistance to countries of the former Eastern Bloc, as an integral part of our policy to build stability and security in the region. For geographical and historical reasons, defence assistance is focused principally on land forces but, where practical, the Royal Navy contributes to the overall programme. In particular, students from the former Eastern Bloc attend Royal Naval Initial Officer Training and Tactical and Staff Training at the Naval module of intermediate staff training courses in the United Kingdom. In addition, the Royal Navy also undertakes joint mine warfare training in the Baltic with Allies and the Baltic states; and is supporting the operational sea training of the Polish frigate Pulaski to bring her into NATO's Standing Naval Force Atlantic for 2004. There is also a well established programme of naval co-operation with Russia which includes some limited elements of training.

Royal Navy

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the specialist (a) anti-aircraft, (b) anti-ship and (c) anti-submarine capabilities of each class of (i) frigate and (ii) destroyer (A) being built and (B) already deployed by the Royal Navy.

Adam Ingram: The in-service Type 22 (Broadsword Class) and Type 23 (Duke Class) Frigates have been designed primarily for the Anti-submarine Warfare (ASW) role. To fulfil this, they have torpedo tubes fitted and Lynx or Merlin ASW helicopters embarked. Their anti-aircraft capability is provided by Sea Wolf missiles, and their anti-surface ship capability by Sea Skua missiles carried on Lynx helicopters, close-range guns and long-range Harpoon anti-surface missiles.
	The primary role of the in-service Type 42 Destroyer is to provide air defence for task group operations. For this, it is equipped with Sea Dart anti-aircraft missiles, which also have a secondary anti-surface ship capability. As with the Frigates, Type 42 Destroyers also have torpedo tubes and Lynx ASW aircraft for anti-submarine warfare, with anti-surface capability provided by Sea Skua missiles on Lynx aircraft.
	Equipped with the Principal Anti-Air Missile System (PAAMS), the prime role of the future Type 45 Destroyers will be anti-air Warfare. The Sea Skua missile, fitted to the Lynx helicopter, together with the ship's medium range gunnery system, will provide the anti-surface ship capability. Anti-submarine warfare capability will primarily be provided by the Lynx helicopter, equipped with Stingray anti-submarine torpedoes. The systems delivering these capabilities will be considered for progressive updates during the in-service life of the Type 45, which is designed with significant space and weight margins to meet emerging requirements.

Royal Navy

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the (a) Royal Naval and (b) Royal Marines shore establishments which have been (i) taken out of and (ii) brought into service since May 1997.

Adam Ingram: I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Royal Navy

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on multi-national training programmes with allied forces for (a) the Royal Navy and (b) the Royal Marines.

Adam Ingram: The Royal Navy and Royal Marines, and the other services, take part in a wide range of multinational and bilateral training exercises to prepare for operations and enhance interoperability with NATO and coalition partners. In addition, United Kingdom operational sea training and joint maritime courses (JMCs) are carried out with participants from a wide range of European navies, USA, Australia, Canada and New Zealand, with the aim of preparing units to operate together.
	The Royal Navy and Royal Marines maintain personnel exchange programmes with allies. In addition to core exercise activity, exercises are carried out with other nations in support of defence diplomacy initiatives, including Partnership for Peace countries. The Royal Navy and Royal Marines are also committed to the United Kingdom Netherlands Amphibious Force (UKNLAF), which has proved a model for amphibious co-operation for other nations in Europe. This standing force celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2003 and the capability has been maintained through regular shared training opportunities.
	Examples of major Royal Navy and Royal Marines' multinational and bilateral exercises in 2002 included an integrated air defence exercise with Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and Malaysia (five powers defence arrangements), exercise Destined Glory with other NATO members and exercise Blackhorse with the USA. Major elements of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines also participated in exercise Saif Sareea in late 2001, alongside the Omani armed forces.

Royal Navy

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what Royal Navy resources are allocated to duties in respect of Northern Ireland.

Adam Ingram: The Royal Navy (RN) has a squadron of three Hunt Class patrol craft based in Faslane, which support naval operations in Northern Ireland. One patrol craft, with 35 personnel onboard, is routinely deployed to patrol Northern Ireland territorial waters every day of the year. This ship is supported by a team of eight Royal Marines (RM) with four rigid inflatable boats to conduct the boarding of vessels entering or leaving NI ports. There are also 20 RN/RM personnel based in the Province who provide operational support to the patrol vessel.
	In addition, the Royal Navy have an Armed Forces Career Office in Palace Barracks, Holywood, consisting of one RN officer and four senior ratings. There is a staff of two officers and eight senior/junior ratings on HMS Caroline (reserve training ship). The Joint Helicopter Force (Northern Ireland) has one RN officer on its staff, and there is one officer in the post of Assistant Naval Regional Officer (Northern Ireland) also based at HMS Caroline.
	A Sea King Helicopter Detachment (consisting of three helicopters and up to 40 personnel) deploys to the Province as operational requirements demand.

Royal Navy

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) male and (b) female personnel there have been in (i) the Royal Navy and (ii) the Royal Marines in each year since 1997, broken down into (A) officers and (B) other ranks.

Lewis Moonie: Royal Navy and Royal Marine strengths by gender 1997–2002 are shown in the table:
	
		
			  January 1997 January 1998 January 1999 January 2000 January 2001 January 2002 December 2002 
		
		
			 RN officer 
			 Male 6,800 6,640 6,540 6,450 6,460 6,440 6,440 
			 Female 430 450 460 500 540 570 600 
			 
			 RM officer 
			 Male 700 690 690 680 680 720 750 
			 Female 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			   
			 RN other ranks 
			 Male 28,780 27,830 27,200 26,370 25,640 24,790 24,200 
			 Female 2,760 2,740 2,810 2,830 2,840 2,880 2,970 
			 
			 RM other ranks 
			 Male 6,000 6,070 5,990 5,990 6,160 6,220 6,340 
			 Female 30 40 50 50 60 60 80 
		
	
	Note:
	All figures are rounded to the nearest 10, and include untrained strengths.

Royal Navy

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) Afro-Caribbean and (b) Asian ethnic minority personnel there have been in (i) the Royal Navy and (ii) the Royal Marines in each year since 1997, broken down into (A) officers and (B) other ranks.

Lewis Moonie: The number of Asian and Black Caribbean personnel serving in the Royal Navy and the Royal Marines are shown in the tables:
	
		Royal Navy(56)
		
			   April 1997 April 1998 April 1999 April 2000 April 2001 21October 2001 
		
		
			  
			 Officers Asian  15 10 15 15 20 20 
			  Black Caribbean  10 10 5 5 5 5 
			 Other Ranks Asian  20 20 25 25 30 30 
			  Black Caribbean  55 50 50 50 45 45 
		
	
	
		Royal Marines
		
			  
		
		
			 Officers Asian  — — _ — — — 
			  Black Caribbean  — — — — — — 
			 Other Ranks Asian  _ _ _ 5 5 _ 
			  Black Caribbean  15 15 20 15 15 15 
		
	
	(56) Royal Navy figures include QARNNS.
	(57) A re-survey of the ethnic origin of Armed Forces personnel is currently being undertaken using the categories contained in the Population Census of 2001. The last available figures using the previous ethnic categories are those of 1 October 2001.
	Notes:
	Figures shown are for UK Regular forces (including both trained and untrained), and therefore exclude Full Time Reserve Service personnel and Naval Activated Reservists.
	Asian consists of those classified as Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi.
	All figures are rounded to the nearest five.
	_ denotes fewer than five
	— denotes zero

Royal Navy

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on educational opportunities for (a) officers and (b) other ranks in (i) the Royal Navy and (ii) the Royal Marines.

Lewis Moonie: Both the Royal Navy and Royal Marines offer a wide variety of educational opportunities for personnel as part of training, personal development or lifelong learning.
	There are a number of educational opportunities that are available to all, regardless of rank. These consist of a university short course programme, a variety of short courses available to personnel at no cost to the individual, an HM Forces scheme administered under the University of Cambridge Local Education Syndicate which provides world-wide access to IGCSE/GCE programmes and a forces distance learning scheme.
	For officers there is the opportunity to achieve accreditation for many Royal Navy and Royal Marines courses, examples include, supply officers, legal training for barristers and flying start degree scheme, for non graduate aircrew, plus sponsored post graduate study for selected officers and language training.
	Other ranks of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines undertake national vocational qualifications, and accreditation for many training courses with national bodies such as higher national diplomas. Training for Royal Marine musicians has also achieved accreditation to BA Music. In addition, a high percentage of Royal Navy personnel are corporately sponsored through foundation for modern apprenticeship programmes, including NVQs, key skills and technical certificates.

Rough Terrain Fleet

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many fully trained (a) operators and (b) maintenance engineers with operational experience of container handling rough terrain there are in his Department; and how many are fit for active service.

Adam Ingram: The Ministry of Defence has sufficient trained and fit operators and engineers to run the Container Handling Rough Terrain fleet.

Sea Cadet Corps

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the role and structure of the Sea Cadet Corps.

Lewis Moonie: The Sea Cadet movement is a national youth charity based on the customs and traditions of the Royal Navy. It provides young people from 10 to 18-years-old with life skills of teamwork, self-respect and social responsibility. It has a training programme ranging from seamanship and maritime skills to music, cookery and computing, and aims to provide teenagers with a serious, but fun, alternative to the youth leisure industry at the heart of the local community.
	The Sea Cadet Corps has approximately 400 units. Each unit is a registered charity in its own right run by a management committee and supported by the Sea Cadet Association (SCA) which has branches around the country. The SCA is a fundraising charity which, along with the Ministry of Defence, provides essential resources for the corps. The MOD provides financial support for the running of the SCA HQ and a national training organisation.
	Each Sea Cadet Unit becomes a member of the corps by act of affiliation with the SCA. It then becomes eligible for the umbrella support provided by MOD and the SCA, including management through six area offices.

Sea Cadet Corps

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) professional and (b) voluntary personnel there are in the Sea Cadet Corps.

Adam Ingram: The professional personnel associated with the Sea Cadet Corps are the Royal Navy and Civil Service personnel employed nationally in support of the Corps, and employees of the Sea Cadet Association (SCA) which is the fund raising charity to which each Sea Cadet Unit is affiliated. There are 21 RN and Civil Service personnel and 204 full and part-time employees of the SCA.
	The voluntary personnel associated with the Corps are the uniformed and civilian instructors that provide the training at the individual Sea Cadet Units. There are 3,247 uniformed instructors and 1,562 civilian instructors.

Sennybridge Range

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many soldiers from what regiments have been (a) killed and (b) injured at the Sennybridge Range in each year since 1990; what safety recommendations were made by the Special Investigation Branch and the Health and Safety Executive on each occasion; and what steps he has taken to ensure these were acted upon.

Lewis Moonie: The number of soldiers killed at the Sennybridge Range since 1990 and their regiments is as follows:
	
		
			 Regiment Year Number of deaths 
		
		
			 Royal Regiment of Wales 1991 1 
			 Cheshire Regiment 1992 1 
			 Royal Green Jackets 1993 1 
			 Queen's Gurkha Engineers 1995 1 
			 Grenadier Guards 1998 1 
		
	
	A number of agencies may be involved in the investigation of range incidents resulting in death or injury including the Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch (RMP SIB) and Land Accident Investigation Team (LAIT), who are responsible for liaising with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) as required. Further work is required to identify the number of injuries and any resulting safety recommendations, and I will write to my hon. Friend on these points and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
	Although the RMP SIB would normally attend the scene of a range incident resulting in death or serious injury, they would only carry out an investigation if a criminal offence or negligence is suspected and, in the case of a death, if responsibility for the investigation was ceded by the civilian police. It is not, however, within the remit of RMP SIB to make recommendations about matters of range safety.

Service Chaplains

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost of the chaplaincy was in each of the three services in the last 12 months, broken down by (a) uniformed and (b) civilian chaplains.

Lewis Moonie: I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Suez Medal

Eric Martlew: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects the sub-committee chaired by General Lord Guthrie of Craigiebank to report regarding the issue of a Suez Canal Zone medal; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 13 January 2003, Official Report, column 404W to the hon. Member for Mid-Dorset and North Poole (Mrs. Brooke).

Warships

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his (a) current and (b) expected warship orders are for the Royal Navy by 2015; and what their scheduled completion dates are.

Adam Ingram: The United Kingdom has the largest programme of new warship building for decades.
	Current warship orders are for:
	Type 45
	We have ordered six Type 45 Anti-Air Warfare Destroyers within a planned class size of up to 12. The ships are due to enter service between late 2007 and the middle of the next decade.
	Landing Ships Dock (Auxiliary)
	Four Landing Ship Dock (Auxiliaries) are under construction. The first vessel is expected in service in 2004, with the last entering service in late 2005.
	Landing Platform Dock Replacement (LPDR)
	Two LPDRs are on order. The first is planned to enter service by July of this year. The programme for the second is still under discussion with the contractor, but the current expectation is that she will enter service by the end of next year.
	Hydrographic and Oceanographic Survey Vessels
	The first Echo Class Survey Vessel is expected to be in service in May 2003. The second vessel is expected to be in service in December 2003.
	Auxiliary Oilers
	The two Auxiliary Oilers were accepted off contract in October 2002 and are due to enter service this spring.
	Astute
	A first buy of Astute submarines is currently on contract. The in service date is not now expected to be before late 2006, subject to confirmation by the contractor.
	Offshore Patrol Vessels
	MOD has contracted with Vosper Thornycroft to provide three Offshore Patrol Vessels. VT will own and support the vessels and lease them to MOD. They are due to be become progressively available to the RN between February and December this year.
	Detailed ordering plans for the period up to 2015 remain subject to review in the normal way. However, future planned orders include:
	Future Aircraft Carrier
	Two vessels are planned, with in service dates of 2012 and 2015. It is expected that a contract award will be made in spring 2004.
	Astute
	On current plans, we intend to place orders for further Astute Submarines which we expect to enter service from the next decade onwards.
	Primary Casualty Receiving Ship
	A contract is expected to be placed around the middle of the present decade and the vessel is expected to enter service in the latter part of the decade.
	Future Surface Combatant (FSC)
	Our present planning assumption is that the first of class will be in service around the middle of the next decade.
	Military Afloat Reach and Sustainability (MARS)
	We plan to introduce a MARS capability around the turn of the decade. The characteristics of the relevant platform(s) have yet to be determined.
	A formal announcement of the placing of these orders will be made at the appropriate time.